Potassium Benefits for Health
The health benefits of potassium include relief from stroke, high blood pressure, heart and kidney disorders, and anxiety and stress. It helps enhance muscle strength, metabolism, water balance, electrolytic functions, and the nervous system.
It is the third most abundant mineral in the human body and is a powerful element in improving health. It contains the components for maintaining a high level of well-being and an improved lifestyle. You should not underestimate the importance of potassium in your dietary plan.
Apart from acting as an electrolyte, this mineral is required for keeping the heart, brain, kidney, muscle tissue, and other important organ systems of the human body in a good condition. Potassium chloride is the main variety of this mineral, and it works in association with sodium to perform a number of critical tasks within the body.
Symptoms of Potassium Deficiency
Deficiency of any nutrient in the body is undesirable and potassium is not an exception. A diet deficient in it may lead to symptoms like fatigue and muscle weakness. Other indications for its deficiency include inactive reflexes, abnormal heartbeat, heart palpitations, anemia, and severe headaches. Potassium-deficient people may also experience high blood pressure, pain in their intestines, swelling in their glands, and diabetes as serious side effects of this deficiency.
Important Sources of Potassium
The most important dietary sources of potassium are citrus fruits, vegetables, and grains. Also, you can get an ample amount of this mineral from salmon, chicken, whole milk, fresh fruit juices, and almonds. Apart from those, nuts, lime beans, potatoes, and poultry are other products to be included in the ‘potassium-rich foods’ list. However, the important sources of this mineral also include avocados, bananas, and coconut water.
Health Benefits of Potassium
Stimulates Neural Activity
It plays an important role in keeping brain function at a normal level. High levels of potassium allow more oxygen to reach the brain, thereby stimulating neural activity and increasing cognitive function. There is a good reason why people call bananas brain food; they contain impressively high levels of this mineral.
Prevents Cramps
Muscle cramps are a common result of low levels of potassium in the blood, a condition called hypokalemia.If you consume a banana every day, you can easily prevent muscle cramps because bananas have rich potassium content.
Enhances Bone Health
The benefits of potassium even extend to improving the health of your bones. There are certain qualities of this mineral that neutralize various acids in the body, which helps in retaining and preserving calcium, making it accessible to use for bone strength and durability. Furthermore, a study at the Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center claims that eating fruits and vegetables having high levels of this mineral results in higher mineral density in bones, further strengthening and prolonging their life.
Regulates Neural Function
It channels play a key role in maintaining the electrical conductivity of the brain and dramatically affecting the brain function. It is also involved in higher brain function like memory and learning. In addition to this, ailments like epilepsy are related to the dysfunction of potassium channels that can occur through its deficiency. There are potassium currents that play a major role in mammalian neurons. These channels are interconnected with a vast array of neural function and can help moderate and regulate electrical currents throughout the body.
Maintains Water Balance
Another significant role that potassium plays is in the maintenance of an optimal fluid balance in the human body. Different types of cells require a proper water balance for efficient functioning and potassium aids these cells in regulating the balance. Fluid balance keeps all of our organ systems functioning in one way or the other, which is why many people recommend eating bananas after athletic events or after a night of heavy drinking, in order to rehydrate and optimize fluid balance.
Regulates the Level of Fluids
It is also a great electrolyte in the human body. It helps in regulating the level of fluids in the body and thus aids in a number of critical body functions. Furthermore, electrolytes help transmit electrical charges throughout the body from the brain and nervous system, so extra electrolytes keep everything functioning faster.
