Importance of potassium

Potassium is the body’s third most abundant mineral. It is a vital mineral and electrolyte. It helps with fluid balance, nerve messages, and muscular contractions. Your body uses this energy to regulate a range of functions, including fluid balance, nerve transmissions, and muscle contractions. Your cells contain almost 98 percent of the potassium in your body. The majority of this is present in your muscle cells, with the remaining potassium in your bones, liver, and red blood cells. 

What is potassium?

Potassium is a mineral micronutrient that is required for life. It is the most common intracellular ion in all types of cells, and it plays an important role in fluid and electrolyte balance. Potassium is required for the proper functioning of all living cells in all living beings. It can be found in all animal and plant tissues. It can be found in large amounts in plant cells and in mixed diets. Fruits have the highest concentration of it. 

Potassium is commonly found in high concentrations in plants. This, in turn, is linked to the relatively low sodium levels seen in plants. As a result, people used to isolate potassium from plant ashes in the beginning. Due to the high concentration of potassium in plants, heavy crop production rapidly depletes soils of potassium, and agricultural fertilisers utilise 93 per cent of the modern world economy’s potassium chemical output.

Importance of Potassium in the Human Body

Potassium’s importance is grossly underestimated. This mineral is categorised as an electrolyte because it is extremely reactive in water. Some of the prevalent diseases that potassium helps in preventing are:

Cardiovascular health and blood pressure

Strokes are a typical occurrence these days. Every year, 1,25,000 people lose their lives due to these strokes. Strokes happen when there isn’t enough blood flow to the brain. People must consume a potassium-rich diet daily to avoid this sickness. Potassium intake that is enough may help prevent or manage high blood pressure. A high potassium intake combined with a reduced-sodium consumption may assist in lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke.

Maintenance of bones and muscles

Potassium may be beneficial to bone health. People who consume a lot of potassium-rich fruits and vegetables may have better bone mineral density. Protect Yourself From Kidney Stones- Kidney stone disease is a common occurrence worldwide, according to the general scenario.

 A kidney stone problem is defined as an assemblage of components that can form in concentrated urine. Calcium is a common mineral detected in kidney stones. Potassium citrate has been shown in tests to reduce calcium levels in urine. Potassium is present in a suitable amount in a variety of fruits and vegetables. You can now include such vegetables and fruits in your diet to help prevent kidney stones.

Continue to Reduce Water Retention

Water retention occurs when the body’s surplus fluids begin to accumulate. Potassium has been shown to help with water retention. Potassium can stimulate urine while lowering sodium levels.

The Nervous System Depends on Potassium

The nervous system is responsible for relaying messages from your brain to your body. Nerve impulses carry these messages, which assist regulate muscle contractions, heartbeat, reflexes, and various other physiological activities. Nerve impulses are formed by sodium ions going into cells and potassium ions travelling out of cells, which is quite interesting. 

The flow of ions alters the cell’s voltage, causing a nerve impulse to be activated. Unfortunately, a decrease in potassium levels in the blood might impair the body’s ability to create nerve impulses. Getting enough potassium in your diet can help you keep your nerves healthy.

Side Effects of potassium

High potassium levels, which the kidneys eliminate, are usually tolerated by most people. However, if the kidneys cannot eliminate enough potassium, excess potassium, or hyperkalemia, it can be dangerous for persons with kidney difficulties. If the levels rise quickly, this can be harmful. 

Potassium levels of 5.1 to 6.0 mmol/l of blood serum are considered excessive by doctors. Professional monitoring is critical in this scenario, and any level greater than 6.0 mmol/l requires prompt attention. Hyperkalemia may be accompanied by no or few symptoms. Symptoms are similar to those of hypokalemia if they arise. Whether severe or sudden, hyperkalemia can result in chest ache, heart palpitations, lack of breath, etc. The problem could be life-threatening, and you should get medical help right away.

Conclusion

One of the most vital minerals in the human body is potassium. It aids in regulating fluid balance, muscle contractions, and nerve impulses. Furthermore, a high-potassium diet may aid in the reduction of blood pressure and water retention, the prevention of stroke, and the prevention of osteoporosis and kidney stones. Potassium deficiency affects a small percentage of the population. Potassium-rich foods like beet greens, spinach, kale, and salmon can help you get more in your diet.