Sodium gets most of the attention in conversations about mineral balance, but potassium, sodium's dietary counterpart, is the one most people are short on. The recommended intake is 3,400 milligrams a day for men and 2,600 for women. NHANES survey data shows average intake landing at roughly 3,016 milligrams for men and just 2,320 for women, meaning many women fall meaningfully below the target.[1]
That last number matters. Potassium supplements are deliberately kept low, generally around 99 milligrams per serving, because the FDA has flagged that higher-dose potassium pills can cause gastrointestinal lesions.[1] Unlike most other minerals people fall short on, potassium isn't something you can simply supplement your way to the target on. Food is the only practical route for most healthy people, which is also why electrolyte drink mixes marketed as a shortcut carry the same capped-dose limits.
What to do with this
Working toward 2,600 to 3,400 milligrams a day through food, not supplements, is the realistic target here. Lentils, potatoes with the skin on, dried apricots, and bananas are efficient, everyday ways to close the gap. If you have kidney disease or take medications that affect potassium, like certain blood pressure drugs, talk to a doctor before deliberately increasing intake, since impaired kidneys can't clear excess potassium as reliably. For most healthy people, though, the more common problem is falling short of potassium, not taking in too much. This same electrolyte gap is part of why the first days of a low-carb diet can feel rough, an effect covered in keto flu, and checking food sources first makes more sense than reaching straight for a sports drink after a workout.
