Many of the overprescribed drugs in this country are given to affect electrolytes. Most of the drugs given in the emergency room for cardiac emergencies are given to affect electrolytes. Keep your electrolytes in normal ranges and save yourself a lot of grief.

As always, this is just part of the story, start here, find more.

http://www.oznet.k-state.edu/humannutrition/_timely/POT.HTM

POTASSIUM, AS IMPORTANT AS SODIUM?
Is potassium as important as sodium even though there is no dietary guideline for potassium as there is for sodium? Many nutritionists would argue that it is. In the body, potassium works hand in glove with sodium in several ways including fluid and acid-base balances and in controlling nerves and muscles. The difference is that there is no major chronic disease such as hypertension that is associated with too much potassium as there is with sodium and salt.

That doesn't mean that a person should ignore potassium because some people clearly get too much. The main risk is not getting enough. Those who are diagnosed with too much potassium in their blood have gotten that way from some health problem such as kidney failure, uncontrolled diabetes, certain drugs, and the like. Excess potassium can lead to cardiac arrest and death.

Then there are others who become acutely ill from a severe shortage of potassium because of excessive vomiting, sweating or diarrhea; some diuretics and other drugs; and certain chronic diseases such as adrenal gland disorders, nephritis and acute leukemia.

In general, however, nutritionists are aware that many Americans may simply not be getting optimal amounts of dietary potassium because of food choices. Borderline potassium intakes and sodium-potassium imbalances may be the rule rather than the exception. Before industrialization potassium intake was three times (about 6 grams daily) what it is today. As potassium intake declined due to food processing methods and lower fruit and vegetable consumption, sodium intake increased to the point where sodium intake outstrips potassium some 2.5 times to 1. The minimum amount of sodium recommended is 500 milligrams (=BD gram) compared with 2000 milligrams (2 grams) potassium.

Such a switch is believed to contribute to essential hypertension---the most common kind---and increased stroke risk, end-stage renal disease and kidney stones. African-Americans are particularly subject to illness and death from hypertension.

An added benefit concerns the calcium-sparing action of adequate potassium. Some researchers believe that one of the reasons for more osteoporosis is the sodium-potassium imbalance. Too much sodium and protein and not enough potassium can increase urinary loss of calcium. Thus adequate potassium may protect bones and prevent fractures.

The safest thing to do is to increase foods with potassium and decrease high sodium foods. Fresh meats and fish, most fruits and vegetables and fluid milk and yogurt are the best potassium sources. The foods with the most potassium per serving are dried dates, nectarines and peaches; fresh figs; rhubarb; and chicken breast. But common foods such as potatoes, oranges, cantaloupe, honeydew melons, bananas, cooked dried beans and peanuts are also excellent. Unfortunately, on any given day almost half of all American eat no fruit and nearly one in four eat no vegetables. Have you had your 5 servings of fruits and vegetables today?


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Sources: Cooper, G M. Dietary Potassium and Health, and Updated Literature Review. Morton International, Inc., Chicago. Monograph, June 10, 1996.
Zeman, FJ. Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, 2 ed., MacMillan Publ. Co., New York. 1991.


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Mary P. Clarke, PhD
Extension Specialist, Nutrition Education

10/96 File: FOOD COMPONENTS/Minerals


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K-State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the well-being of Kansans. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county Extension offices, experiment fields, area Extension offices and regional research centers statewide. Its headquarters is on the K-State campus, Manhattan.

This is an oversimplification to help get you started. Fill in the blanks.

Because of the way electrolytes work you have an equal number of positive and negative electrolytes in your body at any given time. If you have an excess of one positive electrolyte you have a deficit of another positive electrolyte. Processed food is full of sodium and so is your salt shaker. Too much sodium means not enough potassium.

Potassium is needed inside your cells and sodium is needed outside your cells. If you have a potassium deficit, it is a problem on a cellular level and affects all of the tissues and systems in your body.

Links to an article from the Journal of Human Hypertension

http://www.nature.com/jhh/journal/v19/n3s/full/1001955a.html