Potassium
Potassium it’s a mineral and an electrolyte that plays a role in many essential body functions like:
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- resting cellular-membrane potential
- vascular tone
- blood pressure
- pH balance
- musles contractions
- gastrointestinal motility
- glucose and insulin metabolism
Food Sources
Main sources of potassium are:
- Fruits such as bananas, avocado, apricots, cantaloupe
- Vegetables such as potatoes, spinach, broccoli
- Beans and nuts such as almond, sunflower seeds, pistachios
- Meats
- Whole grain
Hyperkalemia
Overdose with potassium it’s called hyperkalemia. Causes of hyperkalemia are:
- Kidney diseases ( Acute and Chronic kidney failure)
- Food rich in potassium
- Taking potassium-conserving diuretics
- Diabetes
Too much potassium can lead to ventricular arrhythmia, stimulation of aldosterone secretion, insulin and catecholamines.
Hypokalemia
Deficiency of potassium it’s called hypokalemia. Certain condition can cause hypokalemia:
- Excessive diahrrea, vomiting
- Kidney diseases (primary aldosteronism, cushing syndrome, secondary aldosteronism)
- Alkalosis
Depending on how severe your deficiency is, symptoms can be from mild to life-threating like:
- Irregular heartbeat (atrial and ventricular extrasystole, ventricular fibrillation)
- Muscle cramps or paralyze (membrane hyperpolarization)
- Polyuria
Call your doctor if you experience any unusual symptoms.
Reference
Pathophysiology (Text book) – Stjepan Gamulin
This article is intended for educational purposes. All credit to the authors.