The Benefits of Potassium

The Benefits of Potassium

One of the most common minerals found in virtually every other food group is potassium. Now, there are a number of different benefits of consuming potassium, but the problem is that most people don’t really eat good food. Poor eating habits can leave you short of the daily requirement of potassium that is needed by your body, and this can prove to be harmful in the long run. Even though a deficiency of potassium does not directly result in any disease, it is important to ensure the vital functions of your body, especially the heart. Here are a few benefits of consuming potassium in a proper amount on a daily basis:

Potassium makes sure that the body functions are properly regulated

A number of different body processes are balanced by potassium. For instance, if you take in a healthy amount of potassium in your daily diet, the amount of calcium that is excreted in your urine will be decreased. Without a proper intake however, this function of your body will not be regulated at all, and hence your bones will not be as strong as they should be. Moreover, potassium helps in protecting your bones from osteoporosis. The action of insulin in a person’s body can also be significantly improved by taking in potassium on a daily basis.

It helps control blood pressure and reduces risk of stroke

It is common knowledge that excessive intake of sodium can lead to a higher blood pressure. If you limit your consumption of sodium, your blood pressure is likely to decrease. However, to get an even tighter grip on your blood pressure levels, consuming potassium is a great idea. A number of institutes and health organizations have also put forth a number of different diet plans for people who are suffering from blood pressure problems, which include a higher amount of potassium and a lower amount of sodium.

More importantly, a number of studies also state that regular consumption of sodium can reduce the risk of a stroke in your body. This is probably because of the impact that potassium has on a person’s blood pressure. Moreover, potassium can also have a positive effect on the changes going on in the blood vessels that lead to and from the brain.

However, despite all of the benefits of using potassium, there are a few precautions that people must keep in mind. For people who are taking in excessive potassium, it is important that their kidneys be working properly. This way, any additional potassium is excreted in the urine. However, if there is an anomaly in your kidneys, the potassium can continue to accumulate in your body, and result in abnormal heart rhythms. Apart from that, if you are currently taking a number of different medicines, they are also likely to interfere in your body’s ability to get rid of the excess potassium. Generally, adults must consume anywhere between 2,100 to 3,200 mg of potassium on a daily basis, which is the usual requirement.