Health Benefits of Potassium

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By adrienne2

Benefits of Potassium

Most consumers and health food gurus, as well as the average health food nuts are well acquainted with the important of potassium being one of the body's main essential minerals needed for optimal health.

Some patients who suffer with hypertension benefit from using potassium daily because of its of blood pressure lowering abilities . Potassium has a multitude of health benefits to simplify the benefits we will look at the different organs in the body.

Before we talk about organs in the body I want to point out that sodium and potassium work together to regulate our water balance in the cells of the body .

Alongside of this point potassium can be found in 95% of the fluid in the cells, this is significant, and I will explain why later on.


Natural Sources

Our Kidneys

It has been documented that taking potassium may be able to help prevent kidney stones from developing in the kidney. Kidney stones are formulated by calcium being in the kidneys, the potassium acts as an agent to keep the calcium from forming stones. The kidneys filter potassiumand eliminates it in our urine.

POTASSIUM AND OUR BRAIN

Potassium helps carry oxygen to the brain. This nutrient is very essentential for healthy brain function, due to it playing a role in supplying the neurotransmitters with the sparks in the brain to send signals to our nerves. This mineral is also vital when it comes to having healthy nerve function. As for the brain it has been noted that potassium is good for relieving headache inflicting allergies.

POTASSIUM AND COFFEE

What is so interesting to me about potassium is the fact, in order for the body to use this mineral adequately, the proper amount of sodium needs to be in balance. What's so significant about this detail is some of us in take more sodium than potassium, which can cause elevated blood pressure. This is way eating to many processed foods is never a good ideal. And easy on the table salt is always a golden rule of the table.

The kicker about coffee and potassium is we all know there are two liquids on earth that will send you sailing to the can more than usual, and that's coffee, and beer. The reason to much coffee, or alchohol is not a good deal, is the excessive urination causes you to lose potassium, but you are retaining the sodium. Hence this can cause health concerns.

 

Signs of Deficiency

  • Irritability
  • A Fast Heartbeat
  • Excessive Sweating
  • Fatigue
  • Muscle Weakness

  • What Can Cause Deficiency
  • Diarrhea
  • Uncontrolled vomiting
  • Dehydration
  • Anorexia

Nature Sources For Potassium

  • Orange Juice
  • Bananas
  • Pecans
  • Potatoes
  • Spinach
  • Almonds
  • Prunes
  • Sunflower Seeds
  • Yams
  • Red Snapper
  • Acorn Squash
  • Cantaloupe
  • Peaches
  • Tomato Juice
  • Pineapples

Comments

adrienne2 profile image

adrienne2 Hub Author 3 months ago

Thanks Bind!

bindaasraghu profile image

bindaasraghu 3 months ago

Clearly mentioned the importance of potassium for our body especially for kidneys and brain.sodium and potassium work together to regulate our water balance in the cells of the body is known fromyour hub only. voted up!

adrienne2 profile image

adrienne2 Hub Author 11 months ago

Thanks Jason!

JasonPLittleton profile image

JasonPLittleton 11 months ago

Nice job, this is very useful.

celeBritys4africA profile image

celeBritys4africA 14 months ago

Great hub and God bless you for creating awareness on health.

vnustham profile image

vnustham 15 months ago

great hub.. I like banana so eat one everyday if I could..:-)

Ann, acne treatment specialist 15 months ago

Too little amount of potassium can make you weak and too much can cause arrhythmias. Too much potassium can also cause diarrhea. Diarrhea can cause hypokalemia (potassium deficiency). You just need to have the right amount of potassium in your body. You also need to be aware of the symptoms of deficiency/overdose and what you could do when that happens.

Izabella Jonsson 19 months ago

I agree. Without potassium, one can't even stand up and walk especially after excessive sweating. Thus, I prefer to say: 1 banana a day keeps the doctor away.

Good topic!

Royal Jelly 19 months ago

Many people will overlook the necessity for potassium supplements in the belief that eating plenty of bananas will provide the recommended amount for the mineral. Unfortunately, this is not so for many reasons of which the most notable is that our fresh produce today contain approximately half of the nutrient content as it did many decades ago.

adrienne2 profile image

adrienne2 Hub Author 19 months ago

You are most welcome Milk Thistle!

Milk Thistle Benefits 19 months ago

Hi Adrienne,

Thanks for the list of potassium rich foods. It's good to know that many of these natural foods provide lots of other health benefits too.

Very useful hub. Thanks,

Peter

adrienne2 profile image

adrienne2 Hub Author 20 months ago

@DrPastor Thanks for the vote!

@lindaadams Yes Potassium is certainly an essential element for our body.

lindaadams37 profile image

lindaadams37 20 months ago

I think Potassium is one of the essential elements that a body requires no lesser, no greater but certainly an informational update from you.

drpastorcarlotta profile image

drpastorcarlotta 20 months ago

GREAT information!!!! I voted useful!!!!

2pretty2sweat profile image

2pretty2sweat 22 months ago

you should check out my hub about the benefits of parsley.. another great source of vitamins

adrienne2 profile image

adrienne2 Hub Author 23 months ago

@NorwinGalle thank you for giving my hub a read.

@North-London So glad you enjoyed my hub. Its a pleasure to have meet you!

North-London profile image

North-London 23 months ago

Enjoyed reading your potassium hub and the benefits of it.

NorwinGalle profile image

NorwinGalle 23 months ago

Potassium is really beneficial for proper electrical conductivity of brain.Nice reading your hub.Keep updating.

adrienne2 profile image

adrienne2 Hub Author 24 months ago

@pathannaziya your welcome!

@Mason88 Thank you for asking such great questions will have to do a hub on sodium and potassium daily allowance. great question.

Mason88 profile image

Mason88 2 years ago

Great, potassium helps lower bood pressure. But how much potassium do we need? The same as sodium?

thanks for the information 2 years ago

thank for the; informnation ver;y helpful

pathannaziya1 profile image

pathannaziya1 2 years ago

thank you

adrienne2 profile image

adrienne2 Hub Author 2 years ago

Your welcome midnightbliss!

midnightbliss profile image

midnightbliss Level 4 Commenter 2 years ago

thanks for the information on the importance of potassium in our body.

Health Conscious profile image

Health Conscious 3 years ago

Another great Health hub.

Thanks for the info

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