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Good Level of Potassium

Potassium is an mineral and electrolyte that is essential for your body to function properly. Low levels of potassium can lead to serious health risks and may be associated with a variety of illnesses. The normal range for blood potassium varies with age.

  1. Adults

    • The normal range of results for a potassium test for a healthy adult are from 3.7 to 5.2 milliequivalents per liter (mEq/L). The mEq/L unit means that in each liter of blood there is enough potassium to react with 3.7 to 5.2 milligrams of hydrogen.

    Infants

    • The normal range for newborns is from 3.9 to 5.9 mEq/L, which is higher than that of adults.

    Infants

    • The normal range of blood potassium for infants is 4.1 to 5.3 mEq/L.

    Children

    • The normal range for children is 3.4 to 4.7 mEq/L, or slightly lower than adult levels.

    Variance

    • Blood potassium levels are difficult to test exactly so different labs may consider slightly different ranges to be normal. When you receive your results, you should ask your doctor what the normal values for your lab are, as they may be slightly different from those listed here.

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