Renal impairment and dietary guidelines for potassium management

Potassium and Its Role

Potassium and its role Potassium is an important element in the body that is involved in the functioning of all cells in the body. Muscle and nerve cells, as well as cells of the electrical conduction system of the heart, are most sensitive to the concentration of potassium in the blood. Elevated potassium levels in the blood are therefore life-threatening. In a healthy organism, the concentration of potassium in the blood is very precisely regulated.

The Role of the Kidneys in Potassium Regulation

The kidneys are the most important organs involved in regulating the concentration of potassium in the blood. In case of kidney dysfunction, there is reduced excretion of potassium in the urine, leading to an increase in the concentration of potassium in the blood or hyperkalemia. The problem of hyperkalemia occurs especially in the most severe stage of kidney impairment, known as kidney failure. The problem of hyperkalemia is more common in patients with kidney impairment who are diabetic and in patients receiving medications from the group of ACE inhibitors and ATII antagonists.

Reducing potassium intake from food can be achieved by with

appropriate selection of nutrients containing less potassium, proper preparation of nutrients that reduce the potassium content in the consumed food, with medications that reduce the absorption of already ingested potassium.

Foods High in Potassium

dried fruits, walnuts,

baked potatoes

meat extracts milk, yogurt, cheeses

chocolate, cocoa offal, meat products (sausages, salami)

legumes, cauliflower, broccoli, fresh tomatoes, and spinach

bananas, apricots, avocado

fruit juices

Foods Low in Potassium

rice and pasta

cooked fruits and vegetables

butter, margarine all kinds of bread compotes, jams, honey

General instructions for preparing food to reduce potassium intake. Cook in large amounts of water, discard the water after cooking. Do not prepare food in a pressure cooker or microwave.

Special dietary instructions for reducing potassium intake

Reduce the intake of fresh fruits, vegetables, and fruit juices. Before baking or frying potatoes, soak them in boiling water for 10 minutes. Partially or completely replace potatoes with rice or pasta, which contain substantially less potassium. Limit milk consumption to a maximum of 2.5 dl per day. Limit meat consumption to 12 decigrams per day and only 3 times a week.