Can Alcohol Affect Potassium Levels?
Updated on August 6, 2025
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Note: While research on alcohol is evolving, the World Health Organization says drinking less or not at all is better for your health.
Potassium is present in just about every cell in your body, and a proper balance of this mineral is critical for good health. Beer, hard cider, and red wine contain potassium, and living with certain health problems can also affect how your body processes alcohol, which can in turn affect potassium levels. Excessive alcohol use can lead to dangerously high or low electrolyte levels.
A 5-fluid-ounce (fl oz) serving of red wine provides 187 milligrams (mg) of potassium. The potassium serving in beer is 97.2 mg per 12 fl oz. Other alcoholic beverages have far less. Although fairly uncommon, large volumes of alcohol can put you into a high-potassium state, or hyperkalemia, by causing muscle damage and reducing kidney function. This can increase your risk of serious complications. Hypokalemia, or low potassium levels, also occurs in around half of all people with chronic alcohol use, due to malnutrition, vomiting, increased urine output, and diarrhea.
Increased potassium output in the urine can also occur when binge drinking or during acute alcohol intoxication, which can affect blood potassium levels and contribute to hypokalemia. Much of the research on adults with alcohol intoxication has been done in those with chronic alcohol use disorder. However, some evidence has shown that potassium imbalances can happen in some adolescents experiencing acute alcohol intoxication who don’t have a history of chronic use.
What Is Potassium?
Potassium is an electrolyte. Electrolytes are minerals that have an electric charge and help with your body’s fluid balance, movement of nutrition and waste in and out of cells, maintenance of your body’s proper pH levels, and optimal function of the nerves, heart, brain, and muscles.
Potassium is only one of these essential electrolytes. Others include calcium, sodium, chloride, phosphate, and magnesium.
Potassium is available in many foods, including:
- Bananas
- Orange juice
- Prunes
- Spinach
- Potatoes
- Tomatoes
- Broccoli
- Lentils
- Yogurt
- Milk
- Meats, including poultry and fish
The recommended daily value (DV) for potassium that manufacturers use on nutrition labels is 4,700 mg per day.
Do Alcoholic Drinks Contain a Good Serving of Potassium?
Wine’s 187-mg-per-5-fl-oz helping of potassium is the most of any alcoholic beverage. However, this is still only around 3 percent of what you need in a day. Red wine contains a little more potassium than white wine. Despite these small servings, some people, such as those with chronic kidney disease, need to be careful about how much alcohol they consume if a doctor has recommended a low-potassium diet.
The 97.2 mg per 12 fl oz of potassium in beer is modest, accounting for only around 2 percent of the daily value. This pales in comparison to the 755 mg (16 percent of your DV) in a half-cup serving of dried apricots, 644 mg (14 percent DV) in one cup of acorn squash, or 496 mg (11 percent DV) in one cup of orange juice.
Spirits, such as rum, vodka, and whiskey, are low in potassium.
Can Alcohol Lead to Too Much Potassium in Your Blood?
Too much potassium in your blood is called hyperkalemia. Mild cases of this condition are usually easy enough to treat, but severe cases can lead to complications like an irregular heartbeat or heart attack. Symptoms include nausea, muscle cramps, fatigue, and chest pain.
People at risk of hyperkalemia are those with diabetes, congestive heart failure, or chronic kidney disease, as well as those who take medications that affect potassium balance, such as some blood pressure medications. Use disorders involving alcohol or other substances can also cause hyperkalemia. Too much alcohol breaks down muscle fibers, releasing potassium into your blood, and increasing your potassium levels dangerously.
For those who are at risk of hyperkalemia due to chronic kidney disease, talk to your doctor about alcohol consumption. Usually, an occasional drink or two on occasion won’t significantly affect your potassium levels.
If your doctor recommends a low-potassium diet or fluid restriction, however, you may need to take precautions such as picking white over red wine, as it contains less potassium, or opting for spirits, which have very little potassium. Many beers and hard ciders have high potassium levels, and a doctor may advise caution around them if you’re following a low-potassium diet.
Drinking in moderation is the best way to prevent possible highs or lows in potassium levels, whether you have chronic disease or not.
Is Beer a Good Recovery Drink After Exercise?
A cold beer is a popular post-race drink, with tents set up to greet you at the finish line. You may wonder if it’s a good idea to pop a cold one after all your hard work. After all, you can lose potassium through your sweat, and you sweat a lot during exercise.
As a treat? Sure. You earned a beer. But it’s probably not going to help your recovery in any real way. The potassium in beer isn’t enough to restore your levels of this mineral. The average beer alcohol volume (around 4 percent) can significantly delay your rehydration, as well as affect motor function in subsequent workouts. Electrolyte tablets and powders are a better choice for replenishing electrolytes after a run, but be sure to check the ingredients on the label and understand what you’re consuming.
The Takeaway
- While alcoholic drinks like wine and beer do contain potassium, the amounts are relatively modest and should not be relied upon to meet your daily potassium needs.
- Excessive alcohol consumption can lead to either high or low potassium levels, which have links to serious health risks such as irregular heartbeat and kidney issues.
- If you have conditions like chronic kidney disease or take medications that affect potassium, consult a healthcare professional to discuss which alcohol (and how much alcohol) is safe for you.
- For anyone experiencing symptoms of potassium imbalance, such as muscle cramps or fatigue, seeking medical attention can help you effectively address the underlying causes.
EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
- The Power of Potassium: Why You Need This Essential Mineral. Cleveland Clinic. March 25, 2024.
- Beer. U.S. Department of Agriculture. October 31, 2024.
- High Potassium Level. MedlinePlus. November 19, 2023.
- Baj J et al. Magnesium, Calcium, Potassium, Sodium, Phosphorus, Selenium, Zinc, and Chromium Levels in Alcohol Use Disorder: A Review. Journal of Clinical Medicine. June 18, 2020.
- Hanalioglu D et al. Acute Alcohol Intoxication-Related Metabolic and Biochemical Disturbances in Adolescents: A Matched Case-Control Study. Clinical Pediatrics. January 19, 2024.
- Potassium: Fact Sheet for Consumers. National Institutes of Health: Office of Dietary Supplements. March 22, 2021.
- Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. March 5, 2024.
- Drinking Alcohol With Kidney Disease. Kidney Care UK. November 27, 2023.
- Potassium: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. National Institutes of Health: Office of Dietary Supplements. June 2, 2022.
- High Potassium (Hyperkalemia) Causes, Prevention and Treatment. American Kidney Fund. June 30, 2025.
- Hyperkalemia (High Potassium). American Heart Association. June 17, 2025.
- Low Potassium (Hypokalemia). Mayo Clinic. March 21, 2025.
- Pérez-Castillo IM et al. Compositional Aspects of Beverages Designed to Promote Hydration Before, During, and After Exercise: Concepts Revisited. Nutrients. December 20, 2023.
- Rebalance, Replenish: 4 Sources of Electrolytes. Cleveland Clinic. September 22, 2023.
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Allison Buttarazzi, MD
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Allison Buttarazzi, MD, is board-certified in internal medicine and lifestyle medicine, and is a certified health and well-being coach. In her primary care practice, Dr. Buttarazzi focuses on lifestyle medicine to help her patients improve their health and longevity, and her passion is helping patients prevent and reverse chronic diseases (like heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes) by improving their lifestyle habits.
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