I think it would help your viewers to know the dangers in having too much potassium in their diet. This is particularly true for people with any form of kidney problem.

I agree with Barbara about potential dangers of to much potassium. But I have to say, antother good source of calcium is sunflower seed. I combine roasted, unsalted seeds with roasted salted as a lower sodium snack.

I have a very uncomfortable side affect from Bananas, or any high amount of potassium. Not from eating too much, just a sice of a banana can have me in the fetal position on the floor. Any one out there have the same condition? and if so, what do you do to compensate, (buy the way I love bananas and I would just love to be able to eat them when ever I want, with out feeling like death..

How much is too much?

Too little potassium and calcium can also be extremely bad for you! I have suffered from a severe debilitating back disorder, and had been having difficulty getting up and eating, and my medication made me not very hungry, either. I wound up waking up one night a couple of months ago with severe chest pain! My daughter insisted on taking me to the hospital, and while there, they discovered that my potassium and calcium levels were critically low! They hospitalized me immediately, and began IV potassium, which my veins wound up allergic to. So I had to have potassium injections, and large ammounts by mouth. The cardiologist who they assigned to me, told me that very low levels of potassium can stop your heart, or cause a heart attack. While I had not had a heart attack, I was very very close to having died, because of the levels being so low. So now, I am careful to eat lots of potassium high foods, and my kids stock my fridge with yogurt, bananas, peaches, avocados, and lots of potassium high foods that are easy for me to just grab and eat. I am also on a potassium supplement, because they said that my pain meds sometimes cause a person's body not to absorb potassium correctly. So be careful about not getting enough of this mineral, it really can kill you!

I'm also taking potassium pills as prescribed by my doctor. I think the high blood pressure medication I am on caused it to drop too low & I couldn't get it into the normal range with diet.

Hi Debbie I have that same exact problem with banannas. I was glad to hear that raisins have lots of potassium. I eat them everyday with no problem.

I agree with making sure you have enough potassium in your body. I didnt pay any mind to how much of what vitamin or nutrient I was intaking because I just assumed that I was getting enough in my diet due to the wide variety of foods that are served to my family. The night I went into the hospital with 2 back to back heart attacks (yes, one right after another), I was told that I had a 0 potassium level! While they were putting a stent in my heart, they also had an IV with straight potassium going into my veins. Believe me, after you suffer the consequences of not taking care of your body, it makes you stand up & pay attention!

It is *rare* for anyone to have too much potassium in their diet. Problems with potassium overdose is more due to abuse of potassium supplements.

The main problem people have is that they have too much SODIUM in their diet, (which in this day and age of processed food is a given) which throws off the potassium/sodium balance.

Someone who gets all their potassium from their diet alone is NOT going to overdose.

I often test out a little high for potassium, low for sodium and high calcium. I do not take potassium supplements and don't eat a lot of high potassium foods either. I do take a diuretic (spironalactone)for adrenal hypersecretion sydrome which may be throwing the potassium values off at times.
Everyone's body handles things differently so I never say never on anything.

Remember that supposedly onions are a good source of potassium, use them in your cooking every chance you have.

AT MY LAST PHYSICAL MY DR. SAID THAT MY POTASSIUM WAS TOO HIGH AND TO CUT DOWN ON MY BANANAS WHICH I HAD BEEN HAVING EVERY MORNING WITH MY CEREAL. I WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS IF IT IS TOO HIGH.

TOO MUCH POTASSIUM CAN KILL YOU!
A FAMILY WON A LARGE LAW SUIT BECAUSE THE ER DOCTORS DID NOT CHECK HER LEVELS AND SHE DIED.
IT CAN CAUSE YOUR KIDNEYS TO SHUT DOWN AND HEART ATTACK AND IRREGULAR HEART BEAT.I HAD SLIGHTLY HIGH AND I DIDN'T EAT BANANAS BUT WAS SHOCKED TO SEE HOW MUCH IS IN OTHER FOODS AND DRINKS.THEY PUT ME ON WATER PILL THAT HOLDS POTSSSIUM .BUT MUST TEST TO MAKE SURE IT DOESN'T GET TOO LOW OR THE SAME THING CAN HAPPEN.

Karen - too much potassium can cause anything from relatively mild symptoms, such as heart palpitations, to death. A couple of bananas every morning shouldn't cause an
elevated serum potassium level. Does your blood pressure run low? Has your doctor checked your kidney and adrenal
functions, aldosterone and renin in particular? Many don't
know to do this...

j.

I meant a water pill that makes you lose potassium it made me sick headach ,upset tummy ,
They re done the blood test after a month and it was ok.I have high b/p and am on ace inhib. for that have been for years.

I had an episode yesterday that gave me a scare while I was at the home store. I started feeling woozey like I was walking on a cloud. Since I have been experiencing some other symptoms I never once thought of my potassium levels. But when I drank a gatorade I immediately started feeling better. Although I know I have some other things going on I did not realize the severity of the lack of potassium. So this has been very informative. Thanks.