← Blood tests
Potassium
Routine annualalso k
What it isPotassium is the primary positively charged ion inside cells. The body maintains a steep gradient — high inside, low outside — that powers nearly every electrical signal in the body.
DoesSets cell membrane resting potential, drives nerve and muscle (including cardiac), regulates blood pressure.
GoodMid-range potassium supports stable cardiac rhythm and normal nerve and muscle.
BadLow potassium (hypokalemia) causes muscle weakness, cramps, and dangerous arrhythmias. High potassium (hyperkalemia) can stop the heart.
- Standard
- 3.5–5.3 mEq/L.
- Optimal
- 4.0–4.7 mEq/L (narrow target)
- Modifiers
- Diuretics drop potassium; ACE inhibitors, ARBs, and kidney disease raise it; severe vomiting/diarrhea drops it.
How to optimize
- Lifestyle
- —
- Diet
- Potassium-rich whole foods: bananas, avocado, leafy greens, sweet potato, white beans, salmon, yogurt.
- Supplements
- Potassium citrate or chloride (200–400mg/day) only when truly low; avoid high-dose supplementation without monitoring.
- Peptides
- —
- Drugs
- Potassium replacement when low; treat underlying cause.
Reference ranges are general adult lab norms; optimal ranges are editorial picks from the longevity literature — not medical advice. Always interpret results with your physician.
within Minerals