Potassium Intake Calculator
Calculate your recommended daily potassium intake using current adequate intake values, and see how common foods contribute toward the target.
🍌 Nutrition📐 AI: 2,600–3,400 mg/day for adults, varying by sex and life stage🏥 Health
Sex
Age (years)
Life stage
Current intake (mg/day, optional)
Please enter valid values.
Formula & Reference
| Variable | Symbol | Formula | Units |
|---|---|---|---|
| Potassium Intake Calculator | — | AI: 2,600–3,400 mg/day for adults, varying by sex and life stage | mg/day |
Step-by-Step Examples
Example 1
Adult Man
35-year-old man.
- Adequate Intake for men 19 and over: 3,400 mg/day
- Roughly equivalent to 8 bananas, though varied sources are better
✓ 3,400 mg/day
Example 2
Adult Woman
35-year-old woman, current intake 2,200 mg/day.
- Adequate Intake for women 19 and over: 2,600 mg/day
- Shortfall of 400 mg/day
- One large baked potato would close most of that gap
✓ 2,600 mg/day — 400 mg short
Example 3
Pregnancy
30-year-old pregnant woman.
- Pregnancy Adequate Intake: 2,900 mg/day
- Slightly higher than the non-pregnant value of 2,600 mg
✓ 2,900 mg/day
Real-World Applications
Blood Pressure
Higher dietary potassium is associated with lower blood pressure, partly by offsetting the effects of sodium.
Sodium Balance
The ratio of sodium to potassium may matter more for cardiovascular risk than either figure alone.
Whole Food Sources
Potatoes, beans, lentils, leafy greens, avocado, yoghurt, and dried fruit all contribute substantially — bananas are far from the richest source.
Kidney Disease Caution
In reduced kidney function, potassium excretion is impaired and high intake becomes dangerous rather than beneficial.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
⚠️
Assuming bananas are the best source
A medium banana provides around 420 mg. Baked potatoes, beans, spinach, and dried apricots all deliver considerably more per serving.
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Taking potassium supplements without medical advice
Over-the-counter potassium supplements are limited in dose for good reason — acute potassium excess can cause dangerous cardiac arrhythmias.
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Applying general guidance in kidney disease
People with chronic kidney disease, or taking ACE inhibitors, ARBs, or potassium-sparing diuretics, often need to restrict rather than increase potassium.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much potassium do I need daily? ▾
Current Adequate Intake values are 3,400 mg for adult men and 2,600 mg for adult women, with slight adjustments in pregnancy and lactation.
Why is potassium an Adequate Intake rather than an RDA? ▾
Available evidence was judged insufficient to establish an Estimated Average Requirement, so an Adequate Intake based on observed consumption and health outcomes is used instead.
What foods are highest in potassium? ▾
Baked potatoes with skin, beans and lentils, spinach, beet greens, avocado, dried apricots, and plain yoghurt are all richer than bananas per serving.
Can potassium lower blood pressure? ▾
Higher dietary potassium is consistently associated with lower blood pressure, and increasing it is a core component of the DASH dietary pattern.
Is potassium ever dangerous? ▾
Yes — in people with impaired kidney function or on certain medications, potassium can accumulate to levels that cause serious cardiac arrhythmias.