Calorie Count RDA for potassium too high?

I've been doing some research on potassium, and I've learned A LOT! However, everything I've read says that the RDA for Potassium is around 2000 to 3500mg/day. On my nutrition analysis it says I need 4700 mg/day. Why so high? Is that what everyone's is as well or just me?

Original Post by brotmom:

I've been doing some research on potassium, and I've learned A LOT! However, everything I've read says that the RDA for Potassium is around 2000 to 3500mg/day. On my nutrition analysis it says I need 4700 mg/day. Why so high? Is that what everyone's is as well or just me?

 

Mine says 4700 as well. I never make mine. Maybe the nutritionist that posted the update in the CC forum has an answer.

Ive reached it once or twice, but i worry when i do.. i feel like i have had too much potassium if i actually reach the level (partly because it seems too high, and partly because so many foods dont have it logged) But yes i think it is 4700 for everyone unless you set your own values. 

I think it's because you need to take in roughly equal amounts of sodium and potassium (since your body ideally uses them in a 1 : 1 ratio) but potassium weighs about twice as much as sodium.  So, if they're recommending that you take in 2400 mg sodium, you need twice that mass in potassium - so 4800 mg potassium.  Someone who got their sodium intake down to 1500 mg/day could get away with less potassium (down to 3000 mg/day).

according to the USDA -- the daily recommended is 4.7g (4700mg)

according to the wikipedia -- the daily recommended is 4700mg (admittedly, not the best references, but the their references are pretty good)

according to the Linus Pauling Institute of the University of Oregon -- the daily recommended is 4700mg

according to webmd -- the daily recommended is 4700mg

Now -- I don't meet that number very often, but I have -- and almost everything on my food logs has potassium amounts on them.  Regardless, I also seem to be pretty healthy. I also adjusted my settings so that I'm now aiming for 3700mg -- which I usually meet pretty easily (on 80mg from my multi-vitamin)

Part of the reason the potassium is so high is because the standard diet is high in sodium -- potassium conteracts the effects of the sodium.  If your diet is low in sodium, then I probably wouldn't be freaking out about it.