Potassium serves vital functions throughout the body, but very little of the mineral should be circulating in your blood. Having a high blood potassium level is called hyperkalemia, and kidney disease is the leading cause of this condition. Yet...
Diet is by far the best source of potassium. Many of the foods rich in potassium also contain an array of nutrients essential to your health. Beyond diet, potassium supplements are available, but you must use them only when directed to do so by a...
Although your body absorbs about 30 percent of the calcium from the foods and beverages you consume, the amount can vary. Other factors affect the rate of absorption as well as the amount of calcium the body excretes in sweat, urine and feces....
Potassium is an essential mineral that regulates the heart rate and helps muscles to contract. Potassium is found in many different types of foods, including avocados, bananas, potatoes, chicken, salmon and citrus juice. In order for the body to...
The loss of essential minerals such as potassium can cause health problems. Your body requires potassium for a variety of critical functions, and a potassium deficiency can result in hypokalemia, a condition categorized by having low potassium....
Potassium is a mineral and electrolyte that plays an essential role in heart functioning, muscle contraction and digestion. While dietary sources are generally adequate to meet potassium needs in most people, some people may suffer from health...
Your body needs potassium to keep your blood pressure and blood sugar levels normal, contract your muscles, keep your heart beat steady, turn food into energy, build muscle, transmit nerve impulses and create proteins. Some foods, beverages and...
Potassium plays a critical role in muscle and nerve functions. As an essential dietary mineral, you need small amounts of potassium daily to support health. Conditions affecting kidney functions and the immune system or certain prescription...
Potassium is a mineral that is essential for optimal health. This mineral is found in a variety of foods, including milk, cheese, whole-grain breads, avocados, brown rice, garlic, red meat, poultry and potatoes. It is also commonly found in...
Potassium deficiency is rarely caused by inadequate dietary intake, notes MedlinePlus. However, a variety of other conditions can decrease potassium absorption, resulting in potassium deficiency, or hypokalemia. See your doctor if you have any of...
Potassium is a mineral the body needs for proper digestive function, for contracting muscles, for conducting electricity, for heart function and for nerve cell function. Many foods contain potassium, but some people do not consume enough of these...
Potassium is a minerals your body depends on in order to survive and thrive, but your body can't synthesize potassium on its own. You have to obtain it through the foods you eat. In most cases, get potassium through your diet rather than by taking...
Apple cider vinegar mixed with honey is a traditional home remedy for many ailments, including the common cold, arthritis and other infections. Dr. D.C. Jarvis, author of "Folk Medicine," also suggested apple cider vinegar and honey may assist in...
Important for a healthy nervous system and regular heart rhythm, potassium helps prevent stroke, aids in proper muscle contraction and works in conjunction with sodium to control the body's water balance. Also helpful for maintaining stable blood...
Potassium is a macromineral that balances water and acid in blood and body tissues. Potassium is needed to regulate your heartbeat and all muscle contraction. Adequate potassium levels are essential for a functioning nervous system and the...
Potassium is found in a wide variety of foods. Fruits and vegetables are the best sources, but fish, meat and nuts also provide potassium. Getting plenty of this essential nutrient through your diet may improve your health. However, some...
Drinking apple cider vinegar is touted by some holistic healers as an effective weight-loss aid. But if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Although vinegar is a delicious ingredient in salad dressings and other recipes, there is no...
Licorice candy doesn't necessarily have any effect on blood pressure medications, but it does depend on whether or not your licorice candy contains actual licorice root from the licorice plant. If you love red licorice, you're in luck; red...
After you eat a food containing potassium, the mineral travels to your intestines. The intestine absorbs potassium into your bloodstream, where it circulates until it reaches the kidneys. The kidneys decide how much potassium to excrete and how...
Potassium is one of the body's most important minerals. Potassium deficiency, or hypokalemia, causes a variety of problems, such as fatigue, muscle weakness and cramps, bloating, constipation and abdominal pain. If you are concerned about your...
Bergamot oil comes from the fruit peel of an orange tree, Citrus bergamia, which is native to Asia and grown in southern Italy. Do not confuse this plant with the native mints known as bergamot, also called monarda or bee balm. While bergamot oil...
Apple cider vinegar is a well-known home remedy that has been touted as a way to lose weight more quickly. Because apple cider vinegar is bitter, it is often mixed with honey to give it a more appealing taste. Although apple cider vinegar may seem...
Magnesium is an essential mineral that appears in foods such as fruits, vegetables, soy and derivative products, beans, peas, whole grains and nuts. The body requires it to produce protein, contract and relax muscles, produce and transport energy...
Hypertension, commonly referred to as high blood pressure, means that the heart is pumping blood through the arteries with an abnormally high amount of pressure. If you have hypertension, your heart must work harder to pump blood to the tissues in...
Many factors affect your blood pressure. The way your body absorbs and releases water with its electrolytes potassium and sodium represents a regulatory mechanism. Much of this activity takes place in the kidneys, a fluid-filtering system that...
It may be "shocking" to learn that your body conducts electricity. Salts in your body, known as electrolytes, are ionic compounds that, in water, break down into positive and negative charges and help conduct electrical activities in...
Hypokalemia refers to a drop in your potassium, an essential mineral needed by your body. A normal potassium level for an adult is 3.6 to 4.8 mEq/L. A low potassium level is considered 2.5 mEq/L or less, which requires immediate medical...
As you age, your body's ability to absorb calcium decreases. The National Institutes of Health states that infants absorb up to 60 percent of calcium consumed, but adolescents and adults only absorb 15 to 20 percent, and this decreases further...
The potassium ion is needed for the transmission of electricity across cell membranes. Potassium is also needed for adequate functioning of the heart, muscles and neurons. The kidneys routinely excrete potassium; kidney failure slows the rate of...
