Potassium is a mineral your body requires but cannot synthesize it on its own, so you must obtain it through dietary sources or supplements. Bananas are a source of dietary potassium. Potassium Cl, also known as potassium chloride, is a type of potassium used in mineral supplements. Consult your doctor before taking potassium supplements.
Potassium Functions
Potassium is an electrolyte, meaning it forms a charged particle called an ion when in solution. Since your body is largely composed of water, the potassium in your cells and tissues dissociates it into its ionic form. The concentration of potassium ions inside your cells is about 30 times higher than in the fluid outside of your cells. Sodium is another electrolyte and exists in concentrations 10 times higher outside of your cells than inside. The difference in ionic charge inside your cells compared with outside creates an electrochemical gradient in your cell membranes, known as membrane potential. The regulation of potassium and sodium concentrations in your body must be tightly controlled to allow membrane potential to aid in the transmission of nerve impulses, the contraction of muscles and the beating of your heart.
Bananas
Bananas are a good source of dietary potassium. According to the Linus Pauling Institute, one medium banana provides 422 mg of potassium. Bananas are safe sources of this mineral and contain other nutrients that work in conjunction with potassium to enhance its nutritional impact. Fruits such as bananas also tend to be alkaline rather than acidic, a factor that, combined with the potassium content of bananas, might help prevent osteoporosis and decrease the risk of kidney stones.
Potassium Chloride
Potassium chloride is a supplement composed of potassium combined with chloride. It is used in potassium supplements to address potassium deficiencies. Unlike bananas, there are many contraindications to taking potassium chloride supplements. According to Drugs.com, one of the worst of these is hyperkalemia, a condition in which the concentration of potassium in your blood rises to dangerous levels. An overdose of potassium chloride can cause fatal heart attacks, especially in those whose excretory functions are impaired.
Considerations
Although the amount of potassium in a banana can’t hurt you, potassium chloride supplements are much more concentrated and should not be taken without a doctor’s orders due to the risk of adverse effects. In order to avoid the possibility of adverse effects, the Linus Pauling Institute recommends that you increase your potassium intake through dietary sources such as bananas, rather than supplements such as potassium chloride.
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