The ions of sodium and potassium play a very distinctive role in the mechanism of the human body. The sodium ion (Na) consists of a positive charge called an extracellular ion, and the potassium ion (K) also consists of a positive charge called an intracellular ion. In the human body, the mammalian tissues control the transportation of sodium and potassium, and this systematic regulation is called the sodium and potassium pump. This sodium and potassium pump regulates the concentration ratio of sodium and potassium between the intracellular and extracellular spaces. 

Sodium and Potassium in Biology 

Let’s learn about the role of sodium and potassium in Biology. 

Sodium in Biology 

Sodium is the most indispensable for both plants and animals. It works as nutrition in the human body and facilitates the regulation of nerve impulses within the entire body. Along with this, it also maintains the balance of electrolytes and fluid in the body. Although, sodium ions play a significant role in the functions mentioned earlier in human and animal bodies. Its large amount and deficiency both affect the health of human beings, and it is very important to maintain the smooth functioning of cells or nerve impulses in the body. 

Role of Sodium in Plants:

The sodium ions in plants regulate the synthesis of chlorophyll. It also facilitates the opening and closing of the mouth of the stomata and maintains the turgor pressure. The adequate sodium ion concentration in the cytoplasm regulates the functioning of enzymes in plants, and its lower concentration can result in necrosis and chlorosis. Although it regulates water consumption from the soil, it decides how much water a plant uptakes. 

Role of Sodium in Animals

The average human body needs less than 2300 mg of sodium daily. However, its concentration depends on the amount of sweat released from sweat glands while performing the physical activities of any individual. The person who sweats more needs more sodium, and the person who sees less needs less sodium. The primary source of sodium intake in our diet is sodium chloride, which is normally called common salt. A normal person must consume at least 1.2 to 1.5 grams of salt in a day. It also facilitates the transportation of sugar and amino acids to the cells present in our body. 

Many plant-eating animals usually suffer from a deficiency of sodium. This is because of the quantity of sodium present in plants compared to animals’ needs. That’s why animals eat herbs and licks salt to fulfil the need for sodium in their body. 

Potassium in Biology 

Potassium is the primary intracellular ion in the body. Like sodium, this micronutrient also plays a major role in maintaining fluid and electrolytes in the body. It also regulates the functioning of various cells and makes the tissues of plants and animals. Fruits are the main source of potassium. 

Role of Potassium in Plants 

Potassium plays a significant role in the metabolic processes of plants. It facilitates an ionic environment in the cytosol for performing metabolic processes. Its deficiency in planes can hinder the performance of such processes. It also regulates the balance of cation and anion in the cytosol and vacuoles present in the cells of plants. Hence, it also plays a major role in other functions like protein synthesis and photosynthesis. 

Role of Potassium in Animals 

Like sodium, potassium also plays an important role in the cell functioning of the human body. As per various medical reports, potassium lowers the risk of stroke by up to 24%. According to the research, a person who consumes a potassium-rich diet is less prone to heart-related diseases than a person who consumes less potassium. As mentioned above, the excessive consumption of sodium has major side effects. The high amount of sodium in the body can cause high blood pressure. So, potassium in the human body helps regulate the amount of sodium within the body and maintains a normal blood pressure rate. 

Although, both potassium and sodium maintain water flow in the body’s cell membrane. Thus, they help remove the impurity from the body through urine and sweat. One must maintain the balance of both sodium and potassium within the body because both deficiency and large amounts of these ions can affect the body very badly. For instance, if the sodium concentration is in one’s body and the potassium concentration is low, then there are high chances of causing heart diseases in that person, eventually resulting in death. 

Low Sodium-Potassium Treatment

Let’s learn about the low sodium and potassium treatment. 

Sodium and potassium deficiency can cause constipation, muscle weakness, high fatigue, high blood pressure, polyuria, muscle paralysis, and breath-related problems. One can follow the below-listed pieces of advice for low sodium potassium treatment:

1. Eat sodium potassium-rich fruits and vegetables like cooked spinach, cooked broccoli, potatoes, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, peas, cucumbers, zucchini, pumpkins, bananas, oranges, cantaloupe, honeydew, apricots, grapefruit, and so forth. 
2. Eat sodium potassium-rich fishes like tuna, halibut, cod, trout, rockfish, etc. 
3. Consume supplements that are high in sodium and potassium. 
4. Drink juices of orange, tomato, prune, apricot, and grapefruit. 

Along with this, one can consume Low sodium v8 potassium juice. This juice is beneficial for regulating blood pressure within the body. Low sodium v8 potassium consists of less sodium and an adequate amount of potassium because high sodium can cause an imbalance in blood pressure. Sodium and potassium are present in the 6:18 ratio in this juice. In total, 140.9mg of sodium and 818.9mg of potassium are present in one pack of Low sodium v8 potassium.

Conclusion 

Sodium and potassium both are the primary cations in the human body. They play a major role in the biological functioning of both plants and animals. However, excessive sodium and potassium consumption can cause heart-related diseases, nausea, vomiting, and strokes. So, it’s necessary to maintain the right concentration of sodium and potassium in the body. Instead of using supplements to fulfil sodium and potassium needs, one can consume them organically via vegetables, fruits, meats, and dry fruits. So, we learnt about the biological importance of sodium and potassium.