Potassium Deficiency

Potassium is essential in regulating how the heart beats. It also helps in the transfer of nutrients into cells and of waste products out of cells and it influences the communication between nerves and muscles.

Potassium (K) is an essential dietary mineral and electrolyte, which conducts electricity in the body, along with sodium, chloride, calcium, and magnesium. Potassium is necessary for the function of all living cells, and is thus present in all plant and animal tissues. Normal body function depends on tight regulation of potassium concentrations both inside and outside of cells.

A sufficient intake of potassium is important as it helps the body to

• conduct electricity, which is crucial to heart function and muscle contraction, making it important for normal digestive and muscular function, too

• perform brain and nerve function

• normal muscular and neurological function

• the maintenance of normal blood pressure

Conditions / Diseases Risk

Stroke : Several large population studies have suggested that increased potassium intake is associated with decreased risk of brain infarction.

Taken together, the data suggest that a modest increase in intake of rich sources of dietary potassium could significantly reduce the risk of stroke, especially in individuals with high blood pressure (hypertension) and/or relatively low potassium intakes.

Osteoporosis : Research suggests that increased consumption of potassium-rich fruits and vegetables reduces the acid content of the diet and may preserve calcium in bones, preventing osteoporosis.

Several studies have reported a positive relationship between dietary potassium intake and bone health in populations of women before, during, and after menopause, as well as elderly men.

Kidney stones : Abnormally high calcium in the urine increases the risk of developing kidney stones. Increasing dietary potassium intake by increasing fruit and vegetable intake or by taking potassium bicarbonate supplements has been found to decrease urinary calcium excretion, thereby potentially preventing kidney stone formation.

High blood pressure : Some studies have linked low levels of potassium in the diet with high blood pressure. There is some evidence that potassium supplements might cause a slight drop in blood pressure.

However, study results have been mixed. Two large studies found no effect on blood pressure. It may be that the blood pressure-lowering effect of potassium is more pronounced in individuals with higher salt intakes.

Deficiency

Most people get all of the potassium they need from a healthy diet rich in vegetables and fruits; thus, clear cases of potassium deficiency (‘hypokalemia’) are rare in healthy individuals eating a balanced diet.

Hypokalemia is usually caused by the body losing too much potassium in the urine or intestines. Diarrhea, vomiting, excessive sweating, malnutrition, malabsorption syndromes such as Crohn's disease and the use of some medication can also cause potassium deficiency.

Keeping the right potassium balance in the body depends on the amount of sodium and magnesium in the blood. Too much sodium - common in Western diets that use a lot of salt - may increase the need for potassium.

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