Potassium
Potassium Deficiency and Potassium Rich Food
Part 2
by Candy Williams

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Deficiency of potassium
The kidneys excrete excess potassium from the body, and deficiencies are rarely found in people on a normal balanced diet. A deficiency may result in fatigue, cramping legs, muscle weakness, sluggish reflexes, acne, dry skin, mood swings and irregular heartbeat.
A shortage of potassium in body may cause a fatal condition known as hypokalemia, resulting from diarrhoea, increased diuresis and vomiting. Hypokalemia can occur in people with a chronic disease or due to ageing process. Deficiency symptoms include muscle weakness, ECG abnormalities, decreased reflex response, congestive heart failure, cardiac arrhythmia and respiratory paralysis.
If the fluid and electrolyte balance is not restored, the risk of heart failure increases.
Potassium deficiency increases acid levels in the body, lowers the natural pH balance, causes problems with the formation of connective tissue. Kidney diseases (such as acute renal failure), diabetes can also cause fluctuations in the levels of potassium. Many medications such as diuretics, cortisone, prolonged use of aspirin, and laxatives also cause depletion of potassium.
Dietary sources of potassium:
Eating a variety of foods that contain potassium is the best way to get the required amount. Individuals who eat a balanced diet do not need potassium supplements. Foods, which are rich sources of potassium include turnips, whole grains, molasses, fish, citrus fruit, apple cider vinegar, bananas, avocados, yoghurt, tomatoes, poultry, oranges, apricots, potatoes (especially their skins), leafy green vegetables such as spinach, lettuce; and meat. One large orange will supply one with 250 mg of potassium, one-eighth of a person's daily need. Dried apricots contain more potassium than fresh apricots.
Steaming of foods helps to retain nutrients that are lost through other cooking techniques such as boiling (loss of about 50% of potassium content). Steaming results in only a 6% loss of potassium.
Recommended Daily Allowance of potassium:
There is no recommended daily allowance (RDA) for potassium, but it is advised to get between 2,000-3,000 mg per day. The range of intake for children is 780 to 1,600 mg per day.
This is not difficult, and most people meet this requirement on their own through a normal diet. In general, nutritionists recommend reducing salt intake and ensuring adequate supply by increasing the amount of fresh fruit and vegetables in the diet.
If one is into bodybuilding, he must increase the potassium intake, since potassium is needed to maintain muscles in good form, and also because potassium is lost from excessive sweating and urine.
Symptoms of high intake of potassium:
Excessive potassium can be toxic and will affect the heart. This is a problem especially when one is suffering from some problem such as kidney failure. Irregular heart beat and muscle fatigue is sign of toxic potassium levels. In healthy people, the kidneys in the urine excrete excess potassium. Who requires extra potassium?
People who require potassium supplements include:
- women on oral contraceptives,
- chronic alcoholics or drug abusers,
- smokers
- people undergoing stress
- athletes
- people doing strenuous exertion,
- anyone suffering from any degree of mal-absorption syndrome
- people with eating disorders, especially bulimia and anorexia.
(c) 2007 Candy Williams, All rights reserved.

Author's URL
Health Vitamins Guide
More Details about benefits of iron here. Information on Vitamins, Minerals, amino acids,
Natural nutrients
athttp://www.healthvitaminsguide.com/
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