Potassium, different article

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All About Potassium

Sodium, Potassium, and Chloride work closely

together in all body fluids to maintain the proper fluid levels

throughout the body and regulate nerve transmissions. They are called

" electrolytes " because they carry an electrical charge. Sodium and

potassium carry a positive charge. Chloride carries a negative charge.

Sodium and chloride are primarily found in fluids surrounding the

cells with the fluids containing 31 parts sodium for every 1 part

potassium. Potassium is found primarily inside the cell fluids where

the ratio is 16 parts potassium to every 1 part sodium.

It has long been known that sodium

contributes to hypertension (high blood pressure). Blood requires a

very narrow range of sodium concentration. When a

person consumes too much salt, the sodium level in the blood rises,

stimulating thirst

so water can dilute the blood back to the normal range. The extra

water and sodium

can then be expelled by the kidneys. If the body does not get an

addition of water, it

will retain the water it has in order to keep the sodium levels down.

Potassium helps

prevent hypertension by counter balancing the sodium levels.

On the reverse side; when sodium levels in

the blood are too low water intoxication develops where the lack of

sodium outside the cells allows water to move from the blood to the

cells. Headaches, muscle weakness, and memory loss are the primary

symptoms of water intoxication.

Potassium also plays a role regulating the

heartbeat. Deaths that occur during a fast or starvation, often result

from heart failure brought on by potassium deficiency. In addition,

chronic diarrhea, vomiting, or kidney disease can all deplete the

body's stores of potassium.

Sources

For most people, sodium intake is more than

adequate and potassium intake less than adequate. Chloride is usually

adequate as it is consumed in salt (sodium chloride). The average

person consumes between 5 and 10 times the sodium

required to keep the body fluids in normal balance. Overall, the

average ratio of

sodium to potassium is 1:7 (one part sodium for every seven parts

potassium). In the

typical diet this ratio is reversed to 2 parts sodium for every one

part potassium. A

third of men and two thirds of women take in significantly low levels

of potassium.

The primary cause for this ratio imbalance

is food processing. Seafood, which grows in salty water, contains much

more potassium than sodium. Food processing reverses this process.

Fresh salmon is 100 parts potassium to 17 parts sodium. Smoked salmon

available as lox is 200 parts sodium, 100 parts potassium. Canned tuna

shows a similar switch in ratios. Canned vegetables show an even more dramatic

swing in the potassium/sodium relationship. Most diets should include

approximately

1000 mg of sodium (equivalent to 2,500 mg of salt) and 2000 to 6000

mg of potassium.

The best way to recover from strenuous

exercise is with fluids and potassium. Most sports drinks do not

contain enough potassium, but have plenty of sugar. The best recovery

combination is plain water and a banana.

The best place to find electrolyte

supplements is in " sports drinks. " Most have very weak solutions to

allow the body to assimilate the fluids rapidly. There is now a wide

variety of sports drinks available as electrolyte supplements. The

best ones will have high potassium levels and low sodium levels.

Sports drinks are best consumed during a workout rather than before or

after.

Potassium supplements are available in

tablet and liquid form. There are even some sports drinks which

contain little no sodium, but plenty of potassium. If large quantities

of potassium are consumed, magnesium requirements may also rise.

Potassium levels decrease when magnesium levels are low, and visa versa.

Used with permission from The Interactive

Health Food Store

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Kiana Rossi

bornfree@...