• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

The Joy of Wellness

Living better and longer, Natural Health

Main navigation

The Joy of Wellness

What? Would you like to find?
Browse by categories
  • Weight Loss
  • Health and Beauty
  • Diets and Nutrition
  • Natural Remedies
  • Alternative Medicine
  • Emotional Intelligence
  • Life in Fullness
  • The Joy of Wellness from A to Z
  • All topics

Dietary Potassium

  • The ABC's of Cellulite
  • Arginine: Sexuality, Body, Health and more

Published: 08/07/2018 - Updated: 03/08/2020

Author: Dra. Loredana Lunadei, PhD

After calcium and phosphorus, potassium is the most abundant mineral in the human body. This mineral is very important to the body because:

  • It keeps normal pressure in both the interior and the exterior of cells.
  • Regulates water levels in the body.
  • Reduces negative effects of excess sodium, and plays a role in the contraction and relaxation of muscles (especially in cardiac patients)

Dietary Potassium

Contents

  • Benefits of Potassium
  • Foods that contain potassium
  • What you should know about potassium
  • Potassium deficiency could be due to

Benefits of Potassium

Potassium (K) is involved in important bodily reactions and functions like:

  • Nervous system reactions
  • A balance between calcium, magnesium, and potassium plays a part in regulating all cellular functions, especially excitability of the heart, nervous system, and the muscles.
  • Is indispensable for myocardium movement.
  • Activates the enzyme systems.
  • Indispensable in muscle work and healthy maintenance.
  • Regulates water content within cells, along with their circulation, preventing leaks.
  • Maintains acid-base balance, and along with sodium, potassium restores water in the body to normal amounts and distributions.
  • This mineral plays a part in building proteins.
  • Increases neuromuscular excitability.

Foods that contain potassium

  • Potassium is abundant in bananas, dried fruits, raisins, dates, marine vegetables, avocados, and apricots.
  • Meats
  • Yeast
  • Cacao
  • Fresh vegetables
  • Grains
  • Fruits and legumes

What you should know about potassium

  • Around 90% of the potassium in our body’s is absorbed in the small intestine.
  • It is eliminated through urine.
  • Excessive consumption of coffee, tea, alcohol, and/or sugar increases loss of this macromineral.
  • Daily potassium requirements are around 3.5 grams/day
  • Ineffective kidneys and not drinking liquids leads to too much potassium in the blood.
  • People that suffer from kidney diseases can’t absorb potassium normally, and have to keep an eye on their potassium consumption so as to avoid suffering cardiac disorders.

Potassium deficiency could be due to

  • Poor nutrition.
  • Strict dieting.
  • Diarrhea.
  • Excessive or unusual sweating.
  • Use of diuretics or medications.
  • Burns.

Deficiencies can cause:

  • Muscle weakness.
  • Stomach distension.
  • Nausea.
  • Constipation.
  • Pain.
  • Vomiting.
  • Irritability.
  • Cardiac irregularities

1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

(2 votes, average: 4.50 out of 5)

Loading...

About the author

By Dra. Loredana Lunadei, PhD

Dr. Lunadei is a specialist in dietetics, nutrition and healthy eating. She studied at the University of Milan where she obtained her degree and doctorate. This is her Linkedin.

Reader Interactions

You may also be interested

  • Dizziness, Fatigue and/or Weakness for no Apparent Reason Dizziness, Fatigue and/or Weakness for no Apparent Reason A lot of people suffer from occasional or frequent dizziness, sometimes accompanied by other symptoms [...]
  • Digestion, Health, and Chlorella Digestion, Health, and Chlorella Our ancient ancestors never had intestinal problems digesting junk food like hamburgers with fried meat, [...]
  • Infusions, Herbs and Natural Remedies against Sciatica Infusions, Herbs and Natural Remedies against Sciatica Sciatica is the name given to a nerve disorder that comes precisely from the sciatic nerve. [...]

You are here: The Joy of Wellness » Diets and Nutrition » Dietary Potassium

All about Health and Beauty

  • Fight Acne with Olive Oil Fight Acne with Olive Oil The majority of adolescents suffer from acne and they consider it to be part of [...]
  • Thumb Sucking: when the habit carries into Adolescence Thumb Sucking: when the habit carries into Adolescence Seeing a child of 3, 4, or even 6 years of age with their finger [...]
  • Obesity: Causes and Natural remedies Obesity: Causes and Natural remedies Despite the large availability of nutritional information that exists in books, schools, doctor's offices, internet, [...]
  • Destiny, Work or Luck (Part One) Destiny, Work or Luck (Part One) What is Destiny? How often do we dream about achieving, being or having something?  How [...]
  • Papaya Seeds to treat Kidney failure, Parasites, Cirrhosis, Over Weight, etc. Papaya Seeds to treat Kidney failure, Parasites, Cirrhosis, Over Weight, etc. If you don't want any more costly, prolonged treatments that provide disappointing results, and you [...]
Footer
Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy

Copyright © 2023 · The Joy of Wellness
   
Disclaimer  About Us  Cookies Policy  Privacy Policy  Contact  Topics
The services, content and products on our website are for information purposes only. The Joy of Wellness does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment