A potassium test is common along with testing for other electrolytes in the blood as part of a routine physical. Potassium can be depleted in the body by diarrhea and vomiting or excessive sweating. Kidney disease and some prescription drugs, such...
Your body relies on a series of electrical reactions in order to maintain normal functions. These reactions give you energy that allows your heart to beat and your blood to flow. Potassium is an electrolyte associated with maintaining balance in...
Potassium exists as a charged mineral in the body. It is crucial to the transmission of electrical signals by cells, and is particularly important to the proper functioning of nerves and muscles, including your heart muscle. Imbalances of...
Potassium is a mineral found both inside and outside of our body's cells and is more commonly known as one of the body's electrolytes, along with sodium and chloride. Potassium provides many key functions to your body, including nerve and muscle...
The human body requires sodium and potassium to maintain normal functions. Potassium controls muscle contractions and nerve impulse transmission, while sodium controls the amount of water in the body and generates electrical impulses that control...
Potassium is an essential mineral that is found in foods such as potatoes and bananas. This mineral, found in every part of your body, facilitates muscle contractions including those of your cardiac system. Too much or too little of this...
Potassium is a macromineral, meaning your body requires a large amount of it for the proper function of every cell, organ and tissue in your body. It works as an electrolyte, carrying an electrical charge that is necessary for proper heart...
Getting enough potassium is essential for the body to function properly. It helps regulate water balance and it must be present for the muscles to contract properly and for the nerves to send electrical signals through the body. A deficiency can...
High potassium, or hyperkalemia, occurs when a person either has too much potassium in her system or the kidneys are not properly removing potassium from the blood. Potassium is critical to the proper functioning of the nerves and muscle cells,...
Potassium, a mineral found in food, functions as an electrolyte in the body. Potassium affects the neurological and muscular systems and is a component of the fluid inside the cells, while some potassium remains in the bloodstream. A healthy human...
Potassium is involved in nerve function, muscle control and blood pressure. A diet high in sodium and low in potassium might contribute to high blood pressure. Normal potassium concentration in the blood is 3.6 to 4.8 milliequivalents per liter....
Most people obtain enough potassium from their diets, but certain health disorders and drugs can deplete potassium levels. Potassium supplements are available to prevent deficiency. They are not intended as a general supplement because high levels...
More than 95 percent of the potassium in your body is inside your cells. The remaining potassium is contained in the fluid outside of your cells, including your blood. The potassium in your blood is tightly regulated by your kidneys. Increases in...
Along with several other minerals, potassium helps conduct electricity in the body. It's essential for ensuring the muscles, including the heart and intestine, function properly. When potassium levels rise too high, though, a serious condition...
The potassium in your blood helps control muscle contraction and nerve impulses. Normally, potassium falls between 3.6 and 4.8 mEq/L. A variety of conditions or lifestyle habits can cause a high level of potassium, medically referred to as...
Found in fruits, vegetables, dairy products and other foods, potassium plays a role in the transmission of nerve impulses and the contraction of muscles. This mineral also helps to maintain normal fluid levels in the body. While potassium has many...
Although a certain level of potassium is needed to keep the metabolic and electrical processes functioning properly, too much potassium can be a problem. If levels of potassium become too high, serious complications, such as cardiac arrest, can...
Potassium is an electrolyte in the body that helps to facilitate muscle and nerve function. Your body relies on the proper balance of potassium and sodium to perform these and other functions. If your potassium levels become too high, you can...
Potassium is an essential mineral brought into the body through your diet. But developing too much potassium in your system rarely results from what you eat -- rather, the potassium that causes health problems originates from potassium stores...
If you have a potassium deficiency, you can replenish the mineral through diet, prescription medication or the use of supplements. When you have a low level of potassium in your blood, you might have hypokalemia, a potentially serious condition....
Potassium is a positively charged element in your body that reacts with other body fluids to produce an electrical reaction, according to MedlinePlus. By doing this, potassium helps to maintain balance in your body and helps to regulate muscle and...
Potassium is a mineral that plays an important role in the body, which carefully regulates potassium levels due to the importance of this mineral for the function of all cells, including muscle cells within the heart. Having too much potassium in...
Intermittent episodes of nausea, vomiting and diarrhea are common and can occur for a number of reasons, from overeating to eating greasy or spicy foods. Severe nausea, vomiting and diarrhea that occur often or interfere with daily activities may...
Low potassium can be a very dangerous medical condition that requires prompt attention. Potassium works in conjunction with other electrolytes, like sodium and chloride, to balance your body fluids, stimulate muscle contraction and maintain the...
Your body needs adequate levels of potassium to function properly -- high or low potassium can be equally dangerous. Potassium problems often result from diet, various illnesses and medical conditions, or they can be a side effect of certain...
The kidneys perform several important functions that preserve life. These functions include regulating blood pressure, filtering wastes from the blood, producing urine and maintaining normal fluid and electrolyte levels. When kidney function...
Potassium is a significant mineral your body needs to regulate functions of the muscles, nerves, kidneys, heart and digestive system. Generally, most of the potassium in your body is within your organs and cells, while a small percentage...
Most of the potassium in your body is located inside of your cells and plays major roles in fluid and electrolyte balance. A small percentage of the potassium in your body circulates in the fluid outside of your cells, including your blood. When...
Spironolactone is a diuretic pill provided for a number of medical conditions, including high pressure. The pill prevents the body from absorbing salt because salt absorption leads to water retention and low potassium levels. Spironolactone also...
