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.