955 E Main Street, STE E83, Lexington, SC 29073 U.S. toll-free: 1-888-800-5582 International: +1 845-875-6155

Natural Home Cures Since 2004

Freeze-dried botanicals grown on our own farms.

Shop Now

Illustrative whole and opened mangosteen with fresh orchard leaves

Natural Home Cures · Mangosteen science

Potassium
& Mangosteen

A mineral connecting
electricity, water and living cells.

Fluid balance · Electrical signals
Explore the science ↓
Editorial illustration: A familiar fruit. An electrolyte.
The everyday food connectionA familiar fruit. An electrolyte.Bananas are one of many dietary sources of potassium.

Potassium helps cells maintain their fluid balance and electrical signals. It also helps plants regulate water. We explain those roles before looking at food sources and potassium measured in mangosteen pericarp, the thick outer rind.

K+Potassium carries a positive
charge in body fluids.

01 · Begin with the essentials

What Makes Potassium an Electrolyte?

Potassium carries an electrical charge when dissolved in body fluids, making it an electrolyte. Most is inside cells, where it helps maintain fluid balance and normal cell function.(1)

02 · Across the cell membrane

Why Inside and Outside Are Different

Cells keep more potassium inside and more sodium outside. A membrane protein called the sodium–potassium pump helps maintain that difference.(1)

03 · What does potassium do?

How the Balance Supports Nerves and Muscles

Conceptual nerve cell illustrating electrical signaling

Nerve transmission.

The difference in potassium levels across a cell’s outer membrane helps nerves generate electrical signals.(1)

Conceptual muscle anatomy illustrating movement

Muscle contraction.

Muscles need the right balance of charged minerals on each side of their cell membranes to respond to signals and contract normally.(1)

Nutrition in focus

Potassium, Sodium and Blood-Pressure Research

Potassium helps the body handle sodium and can counter some of sodium’s effects on blood pressure. This is why potassium-containing foods feature in heart-healthy eating patterns.(4)

A research review found that increasing potassium intake lowered systolic blood pressure, the top number, by about 3.5 mmHg and diastolic pressure, the bottom number, by about 2.0 mmHg in adults. The benefit was evident in people with high blood pressure. Observational studies also linked higher intake with lower stroke risk, although that association does not prove cause and effect. People with kidney disease or medicines that raise potassium need individual advice about intake.(5)

Many foods contribute potassium to a varied diet.

04 · More than one familiar fruit

Potassium Across the Diet.

Many plant and animal foods contain potassium. Bananas are one example among a wide variety.(1)

Illustrative baked potato on a ceramic plate

Potatoes

A familiar vegetable source

Illustrative ripe bananas on limestone

Bananas

One of many fruit sources

Illustrative lentils and chickpeas in ceramic bowls

Legumes

Lentils and beans

Illustrative fresh spinach and kale leaves

Leafy greens

Spinach and other greens

In plants, potassium helps control the movement of water.

05 · The living tree’s water balance

How Leaf Pores Help Control Water Loss

Potassium helps plants regulate stomata, the tiny pores in leaves. Opening these pores allows gas exchange; closing them helps reduce water loss.(2)

Open pore

Gas exchange and water vapor movement

Closed pore

Reduced water loss through the pore

Simplified guard-cell illustrations. Potassium is one participant in a broader regulatory system.

Researchers have also measured potassium directly in mangosteen pericarp.

06 · Direct pericarp research

78.3milligrams per 100 gramsPotassium measured in mangosteen pericarp in a 2014 study.(3)

Potassium Measured in Mangosteen Pericarp

What did researchers test?

Researchers compared several Indian Garcinia species. For the mineral analysis, they dried and finely powdered the fruit pericarp.

What did they find?

They reported 78.3 milligrams of potassium per 100 grams for Garcinia mangostana pericarp.(3)

Natural Home Cures mangosteen capsule bottle and fresh fruit on sunlit limestone

07 · From fruit to product

Whole Mangosteen Pericarp, Freeze-Dried

Our Freeze-Dried Rich Pericarp Mangosteen Capsules begin with the thick outer pericarp of Garcinia mangostana.

After harvest, the pericarp is freeze-dried and prepared for capsules as a whole botanical ingredient.

Explore our mangosteen →
The research behind this article

Source References

5 sources Show referencesHide references
  1. 01
    Nutrition referencePotassium: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals.

    National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements.

    Full citation
    National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. Potassium: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals.
    View source
  2. 02
    Research referencePotassium Transport and Signaling in Higher Plants

    Wang and Wu (2013) · Annual Review of Plant Biology 64:451–476.

    Full citation
    Wang and Wu (2013). Potassium Transport and Signaling in Higher Plants. Annual Review of Plant Biology 64:451–476.
    View source
  3. 03
    Composition studyA Study on Nutrient and Medicinal Compositions of Selected Indian Garcinia Species

    Parthsarathy and Nandakishore (2014) · Current Bioactive Compounds 10:55–61.

    Full citation
    Parthsarathy and Nandakishore (2014). A Study on Nutrient and Medicinal Compositions of Selected Indian Garcinia Species. Current Bioactive Compounds 10:55–61.
    View source
  4. 04
    Nutrition researchNIH Office of Dietary Supplements: Potassium — Consumer
    View source ↗
  5. 05
    Nutrition researchAburto et al. (2013): Effect of increased potassium intake on cardiovascular risk factors and disease: systematic review and meta-analyses
    View source ↗