vitamins deficiency symptoms

Potassium and osteoporosis

Electrolyte mineral potassium is essential for nutrition. Cells need a high concentration of potassium inside cells to function normally.

Source Naturals Potassium Iodide (120 tablets)
The studies have found that diets rich in fruits and vegetables lower the risk of osteoporosis.
There are many nutrients in fruits and vegetables, including potassium and calcium.
Potassium in food and in supplements decreases calcium loss through the kidneys, which increases bone formation and lowers bone loss.
Potassium-rich foods, such as fruits and vegetables, increase the available acid buffers in blood, especially bicarbonate. Bicarbonate reduces blood acidity.
In modern society diets became to be low in foods that leave an alkaline residue in the body, which unprocessed fruit and vegetables are characterized. At the same time, American diets tend to be high in foods that leave extra acid residues in the body, such as meat, fish, eggs, and cheese. Normal metabolism also leaves acid residues in the blood that need to be buffered.
If the amount of potassium-rich fruits and vegetables eaten is not sufficient to produce enough alkalinity to buffer blood acids, the body has the ability to remove calcium from bones. This calcium helps neutralize the blood, but leaves the bones depleted in calcium. This increases the risk of osteoporosis.
Increasing the amount of potassium-rich fruits and vegetables in the diet helps to preserve calcium in bones. The calcium can then stay in the bones because the extra potassium in fruits and vegetables buffers blood acidity. In support of this theory, potassium bicarbonate supplementation has been found to decrease urinary acid excretion and to decrease urinary calcium excretion. Of course, it is best to obtain potassium from the diet. Decreased urinary calcium also helps lower the risk of kidney stones.

So potassium is very important for health as it used for prevention of stroke, osteoporosis, kidney stones, and in the treatment of high blood pressure.

Potassium deficiency

Potassium deficiency (hypokalemia) is common and caused by prolonged diarrhea or vomiting, alcoholism, kidney failure, laxative abuse, anorexia, or magnesium deficiency.

Deficiency symptoms include fatigue, muscle weakness and cramps, bloating, constipation, and abdominal pain. Severe hypokalemia may result in muscular paralysis or abnormal heart rhythms.

Potassium food sources

Bananas, baked potatoes, oranges and orange juice, raisins, artichokes, avocados, spinach, beans, meat, cod, chicken, and salmon

Potassium side effects

Adverse effects of potassium include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea; symptoms of toxicity include tingling in extremities, muscle weakness, temporary paralysis, and abnormal heart rhythm.


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May 16, 2009 | Filed Under Potassium 

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