POTASSIUM— the word gives us an impression of the 19th block on the periodic table.

Apart from that, we don’t often hear about them. Trust me; we should talk more often than not because all our delicious foods are the natural sources to get potassium.

Evolution has something to do with it. As the variety of food has potassium content, over the years, our body has conditioned to intake and use it for better functioning like muscle contraction, proper nerve impulse, and fluid balance in the body.

Ever wondered what do the electrolyte powders contain? Why are they given in conditions like Diarrhea and vomiting?

Electrolyte powders have potassium as an electrolyte. It increases the level of potassium in the body when it is lowered down due to puking out the electrolytes from the system.

If potassium is so vital, what could its deficiency cause?

Let’s check its effects in the form of symptoms:

  • Brain Fog: When you involuntarily drop off from conversations and forget what you are talking about or when you lose your train of thoughts.
  • Heart Palpitations: It’s when you feel your heart is beating too fast and skips a beat or two.
  • Muscle spasm: When muscle expansion stays for long, it leads to muscle spasm. Potassium responsibly expands and contracts muscles. The Potassium deficiency impedes the regular functioning causing spasm.
  • Digestive issues: The contraction activity churns the digestive system. Potassium deficiency doesn’t let the smooth stirring, resulting in feeling bloated and constipation issues.
  • Difficulty in breathing: Again, a breath cycle is completed when your lungs inflate and deflate properly. The Potassium deficiency disturbs the breath cycle by disallowing the contraction of the lungs.
  • Stiffness in the muscles: Potassium maintains the level of blood flow in the vessels. The potassium deficiency may contract the blood vessels, guiding to low blood pressure. And we know that low blood pressure assists stiffness in the muscles.

It is believed that 98% American diet lack potassium. Keeping that aside, what are the other reasons which cause potassium loss in the body. Let’s find out:

  • Excessive alcohol use: Alcohol causes an imbalance in the electrolyte level.
  • Diarrhea: Loose motion and vomiting results in the loss of potassium.
  • Excessive Laxative: The medicines for bowels throws the potassium out of the body.
  • Excessive sweating: Sweating releases the essential salts from the body. Potassium is one of them.

Some of the other reasons: Diabetic ketoacidosis, Chronic kidney disease, water retention relievers, Primary aldosteronism.

Rising the levels of potassium

While we can attribute plenty of reasons causing the dropping of potassium level from the body, what’s more crucial is that we need 4700 mg of potassium every day to avoid all the mentioned symptoms.

By altering the diet style, you can add potassium to your body. It’s is available all around you. All you have to do is start. Start by adding them to your diet and squeeze the maximum amount of potassium which your body needs.

It’s a steady natural way, and we suggest you the same. But if you are struggling to make an optimized diet for maximum potassium, and you need immediate medical assistance, you can deploy medicines of treatment for uplifting the degree of potassium in your body.

Note:If you have hypertension and are treated by Diuretic therapy (the most practiced therapy which helps in reducing the salt amount), you have to follow a set of precautions during treatment, and one of them is potassium-barring Diuretic. It retains the potassium while other salts are excreted.

Which is your favorite food containing potassium? Let’s us know your diet plan and jolt us in case of any query.