Quick answer
Women need about 2,600 mg of potassium a day, 2,900 mg in pregnancy and 2,800 mg while breastfeeding, and the amount does not change after 50. US women average about 2,320 mg from food. Most supplements hold 99 mg or less, so food has to close most of the gap.1,2
Key facts
- Girls and young women aged 2 to 19 average about 1,888 mg of potassium a day from food.1
- A medium baked potato has 610 mg of potassium and a cup of cooked lentils 731 mg.1
- From age 51 the adequate intake for women stays at 2,600 mg a day.1
- In a 2-year trial of 276 women aged 55 to 65, potassium citrate did not change bone turnover or bone density.3
How much women need
| Stage of life | Milligrams a day |
|---|---|
| Girls 9 to 13 | 2,300 |
| Girls 14 to 18 | 2,300 |
| Pregnant, 14 to 18 | 2,600 |
| Breastfeeding, 14 to 18 | 2,500 |
| Women 19 to 50 | 2,600 |
| Pregnant, 19 to 50 | 2,900 |
| Breastfeeding, 19 to 50 | 2,800 |
| Women 51 and older | 2,600 |
For women 19 and older the amount rises by 300 mg in pregnancy and by 200 mg while breastfeeding. It stays at 2,600 mg from 51 on, the same as for younger women.1
Where women stand
US women average about 2,320 mg of potassium a day from food, about 280 mg below the adequate intake. Even with supplements counted, NIH says most people fall short.1,2
Among Americans who take a supplement containing potassium, it adds only about 87 mg a day on average, and supplement use does not significantly raise total intake.1
That is the practical problem with a potassium supplement: most hold 99 mg or less, about a third of the average woman's shortfall.1
What 2,600 mg looks like in food
| Food | Potassium |
|---|---|
| Milk, 1%, 1 cup | 366 mg |
| Banana, 1 medium | 422 mg |
| Baked potato, flesh only, 1 medium | 610 mg |
| Lentils, cooked, 1 cup | 731 mg |
| Spinach, raw, 2 cups | 334 mg |
| Salmon, farmed, cooked, 3 ounces | 326 mg |
| Total | 2,789 mg |
The table is an illustration, not a meal plan. In US adults' diets the top sources are milk, coffee, tea, other nonalcoholic drinks and potatoes, so ordinary choices add up.1
Women over 50 and bone
Most potassium research in older women has looked at bone. The trials gave potassium citrate in amounts roughly 7 to 24 times a typical 99 mg supplement, so their results say little about a small daily pill.1,3,4
May help maintain bone density in adults over 65 at about 2,300 mg a day as potassium citrate; results are mixed*1,3,4
Early evidence
NIH says people who get more potassium from fruits and vegetables tend to have higher bone mineral density, but only a few trials have tested supplements and they disagree. In 201 healthy adults over 65 who also took calcium and vitamin D, 60 mEq of potassium citrate a day (about 2,346 mg of potassium) raised spine bone density 1.7% more than placebo over 2 years. In 276 women aged 55 to 65, 18.5 or 55.5 mEq a day (about 723 or 2,170 mg) for 2 years did not slow bone turnover or raise bone density. The proposed effect depends on alkaline forms such as citrate or bicarbonate, not potassium chloride, the most common supplement form.
Amount studied: About 723 to 2,346 mg of potassium a day as potassium citrate, for 2 years
The trial in women aged 55 to 65 also had a group that ate about 300 g more fruit and vegetables a day. Their bone markers did not differ from placebo either.3
Before you add potassium
- Ask your doctor or midwife first if you are pregnant or breastfeeding
- Ask first if you have kidney disease, type 1 diabetes, heart failure, liver disease or adrenal insufficiency1
- Ask first if you take an ACE inhibitor, an ARB or a diuretic, including spironolactone2,5
- Count salt substitutes, which can hold 440 to 2,800 mg of potassium per teaspoon1
Very large amounts of potassium from supplements or salt substitutes can exceed what the kidneys can clear and cause hyperkalemia even in healthy people. In people with kidney disease or on certain medicines, it can happen even at ordinary food intakes.1,2
Questions people ask
Do women need more potassium after 50?
No. The adequate intake for women is 2,600 mg a day from age 19 onward, and it does not change at 51.1
Can a potassium supplement replace fruit and vegetables?
Not in amount. A typical supplement has 99 mg or less, while a medium banana has 422 mg and a cup of cooked lentils 731 mg.1
Should I take potassium during pregnancy?
Ask your doctor or midwife. The adequate intake rises to 2,900 mg a day in pregnancy, but it counts food and drink, and any supplement should be cleared with your care team first.1
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Sources
- National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. Potassium: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. Updated June 2, 2022. Opened 2026-10-07.
- Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institutes of Health. Potassium: Fact Sheet for Consumers. Updated March 22, 2021. Opened 2026-10-07.
- Macdonald HM, Black AJ, Aucott L, et al. Effect of potassium citrate supplementation or increased fruit and vegetable intake on bone metabolism in healthy postmenopausal women: a randomized controlled trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 2008;88(2):465-474. Opened 2026-10-07.
- Jehle S, Hulter HN, Krapf R. Effect of potassium citrate on bone density, microarchitecture, and fracture risk in healthy older adults without osteoporosis: a randomized controlled trial. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2013;98(1):207-217. Opened 2026-10-07.
- Spironolactone tablets: prescribing information (Aurobindo Pharma). DailyMed, U.S. National Library of Medicine. Published October 6, 2026. Opened 2026-10-07.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
This page is information, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about your own situation.