Kehayias et al developed equations for estimating total body potassium based on age. These demonstrate the decline in total body potassium that occurs with increasing age. The authors are from the Human Nutrition Research Center at Tufts University in Boston.
atomic weight for potassium: 39.1 grams
Females
total body potassium in females in grams =
= (-0.00658 * ((age in years)^2)) + (0.214 * (age in years)) + 100.2
total body potassium in females in grams per cm body height =
= ((-0.0334 * ((age in years)^2)) + (0.993 * (age in years)) + 612.5) / 1000
total body potassium in females in grams per kg body weight =
= (-0.00720 * (age in years)) + 1.81
Males
total body potassium in males in grams =
= (-0.00843 * ((age in years)^2)) + (0.0167 * (age in years)) + 164.5
total body potassium in males in grams per cm body height =
= ((-0.0409 * ((age in years)^2)) - (0.0285 * (age in years)) + 920.2) / 1000
total body potassium in males in grams per kg body weight =
= (-0.00916 * (age in years)) + 2.23
|
Gender
|
Equation
|
r value
|
p value
|
|
female
|
grams
|
0.729
|
<= 0.001
|
|
|
grams per cm
|
0.614
|
<= 0.001
|
|
|
grams per kg
|
0.601
|
<= 0.001
|
|
male
|
grams
|
0.760
|
<= 0.001
|
|
|
grams per cm
|
0.758
|
<= 0.001
|
|
|
grams per kg
|
0.710
|
<= 0.001
|
Limitations:
• The r values are somewhat low for predicting the individual.
