Any health risks to a banana overdose?

A banana contains about 1/5 of your RDA for potassium, so the only thing I can think off the top of my head, if you’re eating lots of them, is to be careful if you are taking certain blood pressure medications. At least one of these raises potassium levels to quite high and it can be dangerous to use potassium-based a salt substitute. Doctors don’t always tell you of that particular side effect, even though it can be dangerous combined with the wrong kind of salt substitute.

Otherwise, you should be fine. The RDA is only the minimum amount you’re recommended to get a day. You can go over within reason and be perfectly fine.

Funny! I have been wondering the same thing. I eat a ton of bananas. Sometimes 3 a day if I have heartburn. My mom is the same way, except even more so. I’ve never encountered any type of problem and I don’t see why there would be one.

severe constipation

@MissAnthrope
That’s interesting. The potassium is the active ingredient in the banana that helps against soreness, so that means finding a replacement foodstuff without these effect wouldn’t work.
Well, I don’t use salt substitutes or blood pressure medications, so I suppose that’s okay.
Wikipedia doesn’t seem to indicate averse effects of high potassium levels, except to kidney patients.

@talljasperman
I’ve looked up some other sources on this. It seems bananas can cause constipation when they’re eaten unripe, and they can actually cure it when eaten ripe. Due to a changing ratio of high fiber count and difficulty to digest, apparently.
All right, noted.

Potassium is an electrolyte (a mineral salt) that is important in the nervous system, muscle functions, fluid balance, heat, kidney and muscle functions. My mother had renal failure and had to restrict not only her fluid intake but had to be very mindful of her potassium intake. People in renal failure and diabetics can’t properly metabolize minerals like potassium and they build up.

The reason blood pressure medicine is mentioned is because your kidneys play a major role in your blood pressure.

Potassium is also found in high levels in all meats, poultry and fish. Also, avocados, potatos cantaloupes, kiwis, lima beans, prunes, squash, tomatoes, grapefruits and orange juice are high in potassium.

Also, @Fyrius I wonder why you are getting muscle soreness in the first place. I know if you prespire a lot like a runner or other athletes, you lose fluid in your body and could lose potassium. That is where the cramps and soreness come from. Gatorade is a good source of electrolytes that keep you from cramping too.

@bkcunningham
“Also, @Fyrius I wonder why you are getting muscle soreness in the first place.”
Just exercise. Mostly weight lifting and body weight stuff. It’s especially pronounced with exercises with little weight and many reps, like sit-ups and curls.
I don’t perspire much from any of this.

Do you understand the mechanics of muscle acid build-up from high-rep exercise, and why potassium helps? That part is still fuzzy to me. I only have my own observations and hearsay.

@Fyrius you know you shouldn’t get real medical advise on the Internet, right? I think what you are referring to is lactic acid buiding up in your muscles. To my understanding, normally your body gets energy from glucose through a process called glycolysis which breaks down the glucose into pyruvate (an enzyme). With plenty of oxygen, this process works with the aerobic exercise to keep producing energy very smoothly.

When you don’t have enough oxygen in this formula, the pyruvate is converted into the lactate. The lactate still allows the energy to be produced. The working muscle cells continue this type of anerobic energy production for one to three minutes but the lactate gets built up in high levels.

The high lactate levels cause an increase in the acidity of the muscle cells. The body defends against this by slowing down the working muscle. It doesn’t cause the sore muscle though. This is where you get “the burn.” Potassium is important to maintain the correct acid balance in the body. That is my opinion and I may be wrong.

Well, I can think of worse addictions than banana overload. lol

No. Other than perhaps, constipation as was mentioned.

Anyone hear of the B.R.A.T. diet?

Recommended for sick kids or adults to stop the runs.

Banana’s, rice, applesauce & toast.

@Coloma I heard about it on an old episode of John and Kate Plus Eight

@bkcunningham
I see… kind of… I think. That’s complicated.
Does the conversion from pyruvate into lactate work like an oxygen substitute, to enable the burning of glucose? Or is it this pyruvate-lactate conversion process itself that generates energy, without any further glucose burning needed?

Thanks for explaining.

“you know you shouldn’t get real medical advise on the Internet, right?”
Lol, I think that’s okay if I check my sources and take it with a grain of salt. I’m aware it’s less reliable than a professional doctor.
You seem to know your stuff, though. Are you a biology student or somesuch?

@Fyrius It is complicated. No, I’m not a biology student or somesuch. Watch this and see if it helps.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=juM2ROSLWfw&feature=related

Ah.
I think I’m going to start that YouTube series at the beginning. There are a number of terms in this vid that I’m not familiar with yet. Thanks for sharing. :)

Hey, there’s also a series on physics? And statistics? And probability? Oh wow.
What a treasure trove. :D

So what’s the answer to this part?
Roughly how many bananas per day is still in the safe zone?

This source says:
“Two bananas consumed per day is the recommended portion.”
(On the condition that they’re ripe enough not to clog up the plumbing.)