Gout and Potassium

Role of Potassium-rich Foods In Your Gout Diet

Potassium is an essential mineral and an electrolyte that is found in water and many different foods, such aswhole grains, fruits, vegetables, milk and beans. Fruits that are high in potassium, with 200 milligrams or more of potassium per serving, include avocados, bananas, apricots, cantaloupes, dates, figs, kiwis, mangos and oranges. Veggies that are high in potassium are artichokes, squash, beets, carrots, beans, peas, potatoes and tomatoes. Other foods that are high in potassium are cocoa, granola, bran, milk, nuts, seeds and yogurt.

The potassium in fruits and vegetables is present in combination with organic salts, such as citrate and other organic anions. Citrate can help reduce the risk of some types of kidney stones, while urinary alkalinization can increase the solubility of uric acid in the urine. According to the U.S. Dietary Reference Intakes list, the daily recommended intake of potassium for healthy adults is 3,400 mg per day for men and 2,600 mg per day for women, while the WHO recommends at least 3,510 mg per day for adults. Fish especially cooked halibut contains more than 449 mg, potassium amounts in tuna vary by type and preparation, a cup of cooked lima beans carries 500 mg and medium baked potatoes about 610mg, so you see how easy it is to get your potassium just with your diet alone.

This mineral is also found in potassium citrate, which may be used sometimes to prevent or treat certain kidney stones, particularly uric acid stones, by raising the pH of the urine and increasing the solubility of uric acid. It also may help prevent crystals from forming and may make your kidneys work better by getting rid of the excess uric acid by helping the stones to dissolve once they have already formed.

Potassium plays different roles with your carbohydrate metabolism and bodily functions; it may help regulate the acid-base balance throughout your body and is required for your heart to undergo normal electrical activity, it may help build muscle and grow your body normally while maintaining normal blood pressure. In addition, it may help the body to convert glucose into glycogen for energy. It also may aid in your digestion, as it helps eliminate waste products and balance the levels of fluid in your body. Finally, adequate potassium intake is important for normal kidney, heart and muscle function, and higher dietary potassium intake may help lower blood pressure in many people.

What a potassium imbalance can do to you

In our North American/Western diet, we eat too much sodium which is salt for those who don’t know, fast food restaurants are full of sodium, as well as processed foods causing a high sodium, low potassium imbalance in your body. A high-sodium, low-potassium dietary pattern can have adverse health effects, particularly on blood pressure and cardiovascular health. A good sodium/potassium balance is very important for your overall health. Low potassium levels may be related to worsening of gout symptoms.

Many gout sufferers claim to have managed or regulated their gout with potassium supplements, as well as potassium bicarbonate (a colorless, odorless and salty substance) dissolved in juice or sprinkled in food is also a safe and effective way to help with your gout symptoms. Potassium citrate can also be used and may be advised in patients with uric acid kidney stones. Many of these patients have high and uncontrollable levels of potassium in their body and nephrologists will recommend low potassium diets under that circumstance. Anyone with kidney problems should not follow a high-potassium diet without first checking with their doctor.

Talk to your doctor before taking any potassium supplements and since most people get an adequate amount of potassium in their diets already. Taking supplements in that situation can lead to hyperkalemia, a condition where too much potassium is in your blood. Periodic blood monitoring should be undertaken to assess overall potassium levels.

For those who want to dive in deeper on the subject of potassium and gout, you can read chapter 3 from Arthritis as a Potassium Deficiency from Charles Weber.

DISCLAIMER

This article is for educational purposes only and should not replace medical advice. Patients should consult their physician for individual management.