Potassium in nutrition and human health

To maintain health, the diet of humans must contain potassium, in its ionic form (K⁺), in millimolar amounts. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture{U.S.Department of Health and Human Services, 2005 30247 /id} recommend that adult humans consume 4700 milligrams (mg) of potassium per day, which amounts to 120 millimoles (mmoles) potassium per day, inasmuch as the atomic mass of potassium equals 39.1 milligrams per mmole.

Humans must regularly consume potassium as the body does not store it and the kidney continues to excrete it in the urine even when potassium intake ceases.