Potassium for Gut Health

​Potassium is a macromineral that plays a big role in supporting optimal GI function. Unfortunately, 98% of Americans are not getting adequate amounts of potassium in their diet due to inadequate fruit and vegetable intake. Fad diets that remove fruit and starchy veggies like potatoes and squash, as well as avoid quality dairy, increase the risk of inadequate potassium intake. Furthermore, individuals may lose potassium due to potassium wasting medications (like diuretics), high coffee or alcohol intake (also diuretics), excessive sweating from high intensity exercise or sauna, and high levels of stress (hello COVID years!). 

Why is it important to focus on potassium intake?? There are many reasons why focusing on potassium intake can benefit your health. But today I want to focus on two directly related to gut function.

1. Firstly it helps produce stomach acid. Potassium plays an essential role in gastric acid secretion from the parietal cells via the Hydrogen-Potassium ATPase pump. Inadequate stomach acid production is one of the first root causes to unconformable symptoms such as bloating because it is helps break down our food for easier digestion in the small intestine, it helps signal the release of bile for fat absorption and pancreatic enzyme release for further breakdown of food. Without adequate stomach acid, the entire digestive system, falls apart. PMID:31670611
2. Secondly, potassium helps stimulate muscle contractions throughout the GI tract. Potassium channels are located throughout the GI tract which signal smooth muscles to contract and relax. Inadequate potassium can therefore contribute to alterations in colonic motility and lead to constipation. PMID: 33326312

​For healthy individuals aim for 3500mg or more of potassium per day. If you are unsure how much potassium you are getting daily, I highly recommend tracking your food intake for three days on Cronometer. Get an average, and see how close you are to getting 3500mg per day, then make some dietary changes or tweaks to boost that level. Some potassium rich foods are listed below. You can also check out this awesome source listing out the top 100 potassium rich foods. 

1. Firstly focus on eating more fruit and cooked vegetables. Big hitters include cooked dark leafy greens, steamed or baked potatoes, avocados, bananas, melon, and dried fruit. 
2. Enjoy quality grass-fed dairy (fermented dairy and milk) as tolerated.
3. Enjoy cooked white fish like halibut, rockfish, and cod 2-3x per week. 
4. Drink coconut water.
5. Add a splash of organic inner leaf aloe vera juice to beverages. 
6. Try Bumbleroot Hydration powders for a big boost of potassium. 

​If you are a SIBO or IBS patient and are on a limited diet consider adding in the following low FODMAP, high potassium foods. 

1. Fruit: 1 medium banana, 1 cup cantaloupe, 2x kiwi, 1x orange, 1 cup papaya, star fruit
2. Veggies: Cooked dark leafy greens (Swiss chard, spinach), medium white potato, ½ cup tomatoes/tomato juice (I love Bionaturae or Organic Bello), ½ cup carrot juice (Lakewoord Organics), bamboo shoots, lotus root, parsley
3. Protein: Cooked halibut, cod, rockfish, lactose free yogurt (white mountain) 
4. Other: ¼ cup aloe vera juice (Lakewood Organic inner leaf with lemon juice – pink label)

 
NOTE OF CAUTION: 
If you have kidney disease or are taking potassium sparing medications (including spironolactone, amiloride, eplerenone, triamterene, etc) work with your health care provider because you may need to REDUCE your potassium intake and not increase it.