By K. Aleisha Fetters
Published August 21, 2014
Cross a finish line this summer and chances are you'll be handed a banana. What gives? One of your body's most important electrolytes, potassium helps carry electrical impulses throughout your body so your cells communicate and do what they need to do-like keep you living. Deficiencies are linked to muscle fatigue, cramping, constipation, and even heart irregularities. Plus, potassium helps your body convert carbs into glycogen-your body's form of stored quick-acting energy. So when you're running low on energy after a workout, some potassium give you some oomph and get your muscles the fuel they need for growth and repair.
But 70 percent of your body's potassium is in your fluids (think: plasma, blood, and sweat). So the more you sweat, the more potassium you lose, and the more you need to take in after a workout. And chances are you need more than that banana's paltry 422 mg.
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