POTASSIUM AND YOUR BODY
Potassium is a mineral which reacts to the electrochemical processes that took place in different heart muscles and heart tissues. The same element takes part in the metabolism of the human body; the potassium salts stimulate the intestine functioning, and increase the amount of urine. It is one of the elements which is needed for the construction of cells. It also contributes a lot to the clarity of mind, providing the brain with oxygen, helps to clean the body of the chemical waste and toxins, and contributes a lot to the reduction of blood pressure and helps in allergy treatment. It is needed to produce energy in your body, to keep your nervous system in order and to provide you with physical strength and physical endurance. Increase the amount of useful elements (as potassium, magnesium and calcium) in your body and this will help you to avoid the risk of high blood pressure and ischemic heart failure.
Potassium plays a critical role in balancing the water level in your body. If the content of this mineral in your body is low (less then 3.5 milligram-equivalent for one liter), your body will start giving signs of potassium deficiency. Most people have low-grade symptoms of potassium deficiency, so they can be easily confused with the signs of other disease.
Potassium deficiency in the body is a great problem as the lack of potassium influences the normal rhythm of heart beats, and is able to cause the heart attack. One of the potassium deficiency symptoms is muscle weakness. There are other symptoms as more frequent urination, hypopnoe, fatigue, sickness, vomiting, mental confusion, spasms.
The low content of potassium in the body produces the great effect on the brain functioning. People with potassium deficiency often experience the changes in psychological behavior, including disorientation, depression and even psychoses. In some cases visual and sound hallucinations are possible.
The low content of potassium in human body increases the risk of conduction failures as well as the failures of the metabolic processes in myocardium, and is accompanied with blood pressure regulation failures. Potassium deficiency causes the development of erosive processes of the mucous tunic (as gastric ulcer, duodenal ulcer, erosive gastritis and cervical erosion). There is the high risk of abortion and the development of infertility. Patients often complain about xerodermia, colorless and weak hair and bad healing of skin injuries.
The diet containing small amounts of potassium can cause the potassium deficiency in the human body as it is not able to supply enough potassium to recoup the supplies of it that were used up.
Agricultural industry based on the chemicals usage as well as ways of processing the food products can reduce the content of this mineral in the food consumed. Manufacturers of food products only worsen the situation adding sodium to their products, as the high content of sodium means the lack of potassium. In fact the body spends one third of its energy to maintain the potassium-sodium balance in the cells.
The potassium deficiency can also lead to the serious heart problems. Due to the low level of blood pressure there can be the feeling of weakness. A person can experience the palpitation or arrhythmia. The potassium deficiency can cause neuralgic pain. In case of heart disease, infantile paralysis, as well as vomiting and diarrhea in children patients you should pay attention to the potassium content in your body. The decrease in potassium content in the blood increases the risk of arrhythmia. Sometimes the potassium deficiency can lead to the cardiac arrest. In case of extremely low content of potassium in the human body the person may need the hospitalization. In this case potassium will be injected intravenously.
POTASSIUM DEFICIENCY SYMPTOMS
- The lower cognitive functioning and reduced quick-wittedness is observed; there is the feeling of indecision and uncertainty. The memory becomes worse.
- The symptoms of physical and mental fatigue are more often observed, the physical endurance of the body is reduced. The feeling of fatigue appears faster than usual.
- There is more sensitivity to cold, and hands and feet are cold rather often.
-There are often corns on the soles.
- There is often constipation.
- Sometimes there is no appetite for food, and there is sickness and vomiting.
- The cuts and bruise heal for a long time.
- The skin often itches.
- Deficiency of potassium causes the tooth decay and caries
- The appearance of acne is possible
- Sometimes the corners of the mouth or the corners of the eyelids turn up.
- Sometimes the muscle spasms (especially the spasms of the leg muscles) happen
- It is hard to relax for the people with potassium deficiency
- There is poor sleep rather often.
THE MAIN VEGETABLE SOURCES OF POTASSIUM
Potassium is mostly contained in vegetable products. There is a lot of potassium in bread, potatoes, water melon and melon. Beans as soya or haricot ones as well as peas also contain enough potassium. There is also a lot of potassium in cereals as oatmeal, millet, etc. The main source of potassium is vegetables like cabbage, carrots, beetroots, and animal products like milk, beef or fish. Apples, grapes, citrus fruits, kiwi, bananas, avocados, dried fruit and tea also contain enough potassium. You should remember about the fact that food rich in potassium (as nuts, bananas, potatoes, carrots and apricots) cause the increased excretion of sodium, and vice versa. If your diet comprises mostly animal products, you will be provided with balanced amount of sodium and potassium. In case you diet consists mostly of vegetable foods, rich in potassium, you will need additional doses of sodium. Potassium is present in all the plants. The largest amounts of potassium are in fruits. The natural source of potassium are mineral salts.
The required daily dose of potassium for human body is 2 grams.
The recommended minimal amount of daily dose of potassium is not less than 2000 milligrams for 18-year olds. For elder people the daily dose of potassium needed is a bit bigger than that. The recommended daily dose for sportsmen and hard working people ranges from 2.5 up to 5 g.
The dose of potassium being toxic for people is 6 g.
The fatal dose of potassium for an adult person is 14 grams.
Attention! All the information above stated has exclusively informative character and cannot replace professional medical treatment or medical diagnostics. In case you seem to have the potassium deficiency symptoms, you should turn to your doctor and have medical examination.
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