Potassium chloride is a chemical compound that is extracted from salt water and manufactured. Potassium is a vital electrolyte in the body that sustains life. It supports many roles. Even low levels of potassium in the body will result in imbalanced health and wellness. Potassium chloride has many benefits. However, potassium chloride shouldn't be taken unless it is prescribed by your health care provider.
Potassium Conducts Electricity
Potassium produces electrical impulses in the body with the help of sodium and other electrolytes for a specific purpose. This communication supports a beating heart, moving a hand from a hot stove or moving certain muscles while working out. Without potassium, normal functions and movements couldn't be accomplished. With low potassium levels, called hypokalemia, there could be a communication breakdown in the body. Low levels may cause you to feel sluggish, have slow or weak reflexes, muscle cramps and develop an irregular heartbeat, the University of Maryland Medical Center reports.
Benefits to the Heart
Cardiac benefits from potassium chloride supplements were observed in a study conducted by researchers from the Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine of the University of London. In this trial, participants were given potassium chloride and observed to have benefits to the cardiovascular system. It was shown that the left ventricle function was improved. The left ventricle is one of the four chambers of the heart and noted to be the powerhouse because it pumps blood to the rest of the body. Blood pressures are reported to drop slightly with this electrolyte supplement.
Benefits to Irritable Bowel Disease
One clinical study showed promising results with the use of potassium and improving irritable bowel disease, or IBD. This is a chronic condition that manifests as Crohn's disease or ulcerative collitis. Both are problematic conditions of the colon that have spastic symptoms resulting in diarrhea and constipation. People also experience severe abdominal cramps and pain. A study published in "Inflammation & Allergy Drug Targets" shows that potassium plays a role in relaxing smooth muscles associated with the colon in these conditions.
References
- Dummies.com: Understanding the Transmission of Nerve Impulses
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Potassium
- Pubmed.gov: "Hypertension": Effects of Potassium Chloride and Potassium Bicarbonate on Endothelial Function, Cardiovascular Risk Factors, and Bone Turnover in Mild Hypertensives
- Pubmed.gov: "Inflammation & Allergy Drug Targets": Potassium Channel Openers and Improvement of Toxic Stress: Do They Have Role in the Management of Inflammatory Bowel Disease?
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