Potassium is a mineral found naturally in many foods, particularly fresh fruits and vegetables. Your body naturally requires potassium to maintain several functions, including keeping your heart beating and your muscles contracting properly....
Potassium is a major mineral and an electrolyte, which is a mineral that carries an electrical charge. The potassium in your body ensures that your heart functions correctly and plays a role in the proper contraction of muscles. Potassium also...
Potassium is a mineral found mostly in fruits and vegetables. Some people may have high levels of potassium in their blood. High blood potassium, or hyperkalemia, can cause muscle weakness and an irregular heartbeat, according to the University of...
Healthy kidneys control the amount of potassium in the body by "deciding" how much to excrete in the urine and how much to send back into the bloodstream. Damaged kidneys do not perform this function properly, so potassium builds up in the blood....
Potassium is an important nutrient in the body, and while having low potassium levels can be dangerous and potentially life-threatening, high potassium levels can also be threatening to your health. In addition, some treatments and conditions are...
Hyperkalemia, or high serum potassium, is a condition in which the potassium level of your blood rises to an abnormally high level. Symptoms of the electrolyte imbalance, such as weakness, paralysis and heart arrhythmia, can be dangerous and even...
Potassium is a mineral that plays a vital role in muscle and nerve control. Potassium is necessary for maintaining normal heart rhythm and fluid balance within the body. If the potassium level is high in your blood, your doctor may prescribe a low...
Potassium is an important nutrient that your body depends on for proper organ, tissue, muscle and cell function. When your kidneys do not work properly, potassium levels become elevated in the body and a condition known as hyperkalemia can take...
According to the American Heart Association, potassium is considered one of the most important minerals for overall health. Potassium, which maintains normal heart and nervous system function, can be found in many healthy foods. Potassium also is...
Potassium is an essential mineral that is responsible for the health and maintenance of many body tissues, including your heart, kidneys, muscles, nerves, and digestive system. Potassium is commonly found in most fruits, vegetables, meats, and...
Sodium and potassium are classified as major minerals, as well as electrolytes. Because they are electrolytes, these minerals play an important role in fluid balance. Normally, the amount of sodium and potassium in your body is tightly controlled...
Your kidneys are responsible for regulating minerals and fluids in the body. One example is potassium, a mineral responsible for contributing to nerve and muscle function that keeps your heart beating regularly, according to Up to Date. If you...
Healthy kidneys regulate the body's potassium blood levels, filtering excess potassium and filtering it through urine. When kidneys fail, they can no longer perform this function, and the potassium can become toxic to your body. Most food contains...
Potassium is an essential nutrient that contributes to normal nerve and muscle function. The Linus Pauling Institute suggests that children under a year old get 400 to 700 mg of potassium daily through diet; children from ages 1 to 14 should take...
Potassium not only regulates heartbeat and muscle contraction but also is important in maintaining fluid balance in the body. A healthy kidney is needed to maintain proper potassium levels; therefore, individuals with kidney dysfunction may be...
Your body uses potassium in digestion, metabolism, regulating muscle tissue and homeostasis -- balancing the chemical and electrical processes in your body. Excess potassium can lead to loss of muscle and nerve control, an irregular heart beat...
Milk of Magnesia, or magnesium hydroxide, is primarily used to treat digestive complaints. The original form, a milk-colored liquid, inspired its name, but Milk of Magnesia is also available in tablets and capsules. Because magnesium, a mineral,...
Your kidneys keep serum potassium levels within a very narrow range and prevent them from getting too high or too low. The kidneys of patients with chronic kidney disease are less able to perform this function so their potassium levels start to...
Your doctor may prescribe a low-potassium diet if you have kidney disease. Medications you take for other conditions may also make this diet necessary. A low-potassium diet does not mean you need to eliminate fish. When your health care provider...
A low calcium and low potassium diet is associated with high blood pressure, however, individuals diagnosed with medical conditions such as hypercalciuria or chronic kidney disease need to restrict calcium and potassium in their diets. Individuals...
Nephrologists often advise patients with advanced kidney disease to go on low-potassium or low-phosphorus diets. In healthy people, the kidneys regulate levels of these minerals and keep them within a narrow range. If you suffer from chronic...
Found in water and most foods, potassium is almost everywhere. It's so common that outside of anorexics and starving people, deficiencies are almost non-existent in the industrialized world. However, for some kidney patients, it's possible to get...
If you are a chronically ill kidney patient, you are familiar with the routine blood work that your nephrologist orders. These laboratory orders include tests for serum potassium and serum phosphorus. As kidneys fail, they are less able to...
According to the United States Department of Agriculture, the average American eats approximately 3,400 mg of sodium each day. That is more than 1,000 mg above the recommended tolerable upper intake level for an adult. High intake of processed...
If potassium and sodium are too low, serious health problems can result. Most Americans don't get enough potassium in their diets, according to the Colorado State University Extension. While most Americans get more than enough sodium, it is...
Potassium plays a role in the transmission of nerve impulses, as well as muscle contraction, which includes your heartbeat. The right balance of potassium in the blood is important to ensure proper nerve and muscle function. Too much potassium in...
Potassium is a mineral found in food and used by your body to help regulate fluid levels, heartbeat and proper nerve function. Your kidneys maintain proper potassium levels in your body. Kidney impairment is a common reason your doctor may...
When you leave a physician's office with the mandate to follow a low potassium diet, it can seem overwhelming. Changing your eating habits can range from feeling "manageable" to "next to impossible". However, there are a few conditions and reasons...
Potassium and salt are both essential nutrients your body needs for normal functions vital to everyday life. Potassium is involved in muscle contraction, nerve transmission between cells and the release of energy. Sodium is an electrolyte that...
