Potassium

Sources:

  • Most fruit and vegetables - banana, potato, watermelon, tomato, sweet potato
  • Legumes - lentils, kidney beans,
  • Meats - chicken, salmon, beef, turkey

 

Deficiency:

  • Women who urinate often lose lots of potassium and this can start a vicious cycle of more urinating and more potassium loss.

 

Uses:

  • Essential electrolyte.
  • Potassium helps to regulate heartbeat.
  • Needed for muscular health and nerve cell functions.
  • Helps maintain a healthy blood pH level.
  • Is needed for good kidney function and can help prevent kidney stones. Potassium is present in all body tissues and is required for normal cell function.
  • Maintains intracellular fluid volume and transmembrane electrochemical gradients.
  • Linked with healthy bones and muscles.
  • Needs for blood glucose balance and stability in diabetes.

 

Danger:

A severe potassium deficiency can be fatal.

 

Medication interactions:

  • ACE inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers may cause potassium retention, best not to take potassium with these drugs.
  • Do NOT take potassium alongside potassium-sparing diuretics.
  • Loop and thiazide diuretics increase potassium excretion, potassium supplementation may be beneficial.

 

Fun Fact:

Potassium is K on the periodic table. If you ever wondered why its K and not P, I have the answer for you. K is short for kalium - the Latin name for potassium.

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