Potassium: why you need it and what foods contain it

What role does potassium play in the body?

Our bodies need optimal levels of potassium to function properly. Potassium's main role in the body is to help maintain normal fluid levels inside cells. Potassium also supports muscle contraction and helps regulate blood pressure.

About 98% of potassium is at the cellular level. Of this, 80% is found in muscle cells, while the remaining 20% is found in bones, liver and red blood cells. Once in the body, potassium functions as an electrolyte.

A diet rich in potassium is linked to many health benefits. Here are some of these:

• it can help regulate blood pressure;
• can support the proper functioning of the muscular and nervous system;
• can help prevent osteoporosis - an optimal intake of potassium can help prevent osteoporosis by reducing the amount of calcium lost from the body through urine;
• may help prevent kidney stones;
• may reduce water retention - by increasing urine output and reducing sodium levels.

Potassium plays a role in heart health. It supports good blood circulation, heart function and regulates blood pressure. Potassium itself does not treat or prevent heart disease, but it does protect heart health. It can help reduce blood pressure, help lower cholesterol, help regulate heart rhythm. Potassium is also an ingredient in various heart-health medicines such as Aspacardin. This medicine contains potassium and magnesium, acts on the heart and blood vessels, and is used as an adjuvant treatment in heart disease, heart rhythm disturbances or other cardiovascular problems.

Foods rich in potassium

Potassium is available in many foods, especially fruits and vegetables. What foods contain potassium? Bananas are often touted as the best source of potassium, but other fruits and vegetables also contain this nutrient.

Here are the main sources of potassium:

• Dried fruits (raisins, apricots);
• legumes - beans, lentils;
• vegetables and greens - spinach, broccoli, potatoes, pumpkin;
• fruit - bananas, citrus;
• avocados;

To retain potassium in cooked foods, try to avoid cooking at very high temperatures.

Lack of potassium in the body symptoms

We need potassium to help our muscles, nerves and heart work well. We also need potassium for a healthy digestive system and bone health. Low potassium levels can affect several important functions in the body. Over time, low levels of potassium in the body can cause effects such as abnormal heart rhythm, muscle weakness and other problems.

Lack or deficiency of potassium occurs when we consume too little potassium from food, when we don't assimilate potassium or when we eliminate it too quickly from the body. Certain conditions or problems can cause potassium deficiency or hypokalemia. These include:

• kidney disease;
• excessive use of diuretics;
• excessive sweating, diarrhea and vomiting;
• magnesium deficiency;
• use of antibiotics such as carbenicillin and penicillin.

How does potassium deficiency manifest itself? The symptoms of potassium deficiency are different depending on how severe the deficiency is. A temporary drop in potassium levels may not cause any symptoms. For example, if you sweat too much from intense exercise, your potassium level may normalize after eating a balanced meal. However, severe deficiencies can be life-threatening.

Signs of more severe potassium deficiency include extreme fatigue, muscle spasms, weakness or cramps, irregular heartbeat, constipation, nausea or vomiting. The diagnosis of low potassium is based on a blood test.

What to do in case of potassium deficiency? In case of mild potassium deficiency, your doctor may prescribe an oral potassium supplement. In case of severe deficiency, intravenous potassium treatment may be recommended. It is also recommended to improve your diet, i.e. to eat more potassium-containing foods. If potassium deficiency is due to certain underlying conditions, these should be treated.

A potassium supplement can come in different forms - capsules, tablets, liquid and powder. It usually comes in a concentration of 99 mg per capsule. Common potassium supplements include different forms: potassium chloride, potassium citrate, potassium phosphate, potassium phosphate, potassium aspartate, potassium bicarbonate, potassium gluconate. Some types of supplements may have more than one form of potassium, for a broader spectrum of action - such as Secom's Potassium 99 mg Kal supplement. Potassium is also found in different types of multivitamins, alongside other minerals and vitamins. One example is Vitamax, which contains potassium along with a variety of minerals, vitamins and other beneficial ingredients (including ginseng, matcha milk, pollen, etc.).

Vitamax Efervescent pack, 20 + 20 tablets, Perrigo

93

£8.90

Buy

Potassium 99 mg Kal, 100 capsules, Secom

40

£11

Buy

Potassium Magnesium, 40 tablets, Viva Pharma

49

£3.90

Buy

Excess potassium - causes and symptoms

Potassium is an essential electrolyte, a mineral the body needs to function properly. Potassium is particularly important for nerves and muscles, including the heart. However, although potassium is important for our health, too much can lead to some problems. Too much potassium is called hyperkalemia. This problem is quite rare in people who eat a balanced diet. Normally, the kidneys maintain a healthy potassium balance by removing excess potassium from the body. But for certain reasons, sometimes the level of potassium in the blood can rise too high.

Risk factors for excess potassium include:

• Taking too much or too high a potassium supplement;
• kidney disease;
• prolonged physical activity;
• diabetes;
• certain medications - chemotherapy, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, etc.

How does excess potassium manifest itself? The most obvious symptom of excess potassium is an abnormal heartbeat (arrhythmia). The symptoms of high potassium depend on the levels in the blood. Sometimes there may be no symptoms at all. However, if the potassium level is high enough to cause symptoms, you may have symptoms such as tiredness or weakness, numbness or tingling, nausea or vomiting, trouble breathing, chest pain, palpitations or irregular heartbeat.

What do we do in case of excess potassium? The goal of treatment for high potassium levels is to help the body quickly eliminate excess potassium. Both interventions and some medications may be needed. These may include diuretics that increase the amount of potassium excreted by the kidneys. It is also important to make some dietary adjustments and to eat foods with a lower potassium content or foods that lower potassium.