Potassium and health

   New research # 16

Potassium and health go together in our lives. In other words if we want to be healthy , we need Potassium. Potassium is a mineral found in spinach, tomatoes, sweet potatoes and other vegetables and fruits. A healthy person needs 3,500 mg to 4,700 mg of potassium in 24 hours. Potassium  lowers the risk of our kidneys stones , stroke and high blood pressure.

Contents:

• What is Potassium ?
• Potassium and health.
• Deficiency of potassium.
• Symptoms of potassium deficiency.
• Benefits of potassium.
• How much is too much ?
• my story.

What is potassium ?

Potassium is an essential mineral that is needed by all tissues in the body. It is some times referred to as an electrolyte because it carries a small electrical charge that activates various cell and nerve functions. Potassium is found naturally in many foods and as a supplement. Potassium is found mostly in the following:

• Leafy green vegetables such as Spinach.
• Tomatoes.
• Sweet potatoes.
• Avocado.
• Bananas.
• Fish such as salmon.

Potassium and health;

Potassium plays many roles in human body such as :

• Muscle contraction. Muscle contraction is the tightening, shortening, or lengthening of muscles when we do some activity. It can happen when we hold or pick up something, or when we stretch or exercise with weights. Muscle contraction is often followed by muscle relaxation when contracted muscles return to their normal state.
•  Regulate  body fluid balance.
• Heart function.
• Lower risk of high blood pressure.
• Reduce risk of kidney stones.
• Lowers risk of osteoporosis
• Osteoporosis is  a medical condition in which the bones become brittle and  fragile  from loss of tissue, typically as a result of hormonal changes, or deficiency of calcium or vitamin D.

Deficiency of potassium.

You might be interested to know how much potassium is being used by different parts of our body. Here are some figures about it.

• Approximately 98 % of the potassium in our body is inside our cells.
• 80 % of above is found inside our skeletal muscle
• 20 % is in bones, red blood cells and liver.

It is noted that most adult do not consume above potassium. In many countries of our world people eat their meals ,where  the processed food is included in the diet. Such diets are poor source of the potassium. Eating  such  diet regularly will result in deficiency of potassium with the following symptoms:

• Weakness and fatigue.
• Feeling tired.
• Muscle cramps.
• An abnormal heat heart rhythm,
•  Irregular heart beats.
• The worst conditions in low potassium called  hypokalemia, the level of potassium in blood level is very low. Such condition has many causes but usually results from vomiting, diarrhea, adrenal gland disorders, or use of diuretics. A low potassium level can make muscles feel weak, cramp, twitch, or even become paralyzed, and abnormal heart rhythms may develop.
• Potassium deficiency is determined by a blood level of potassium less than 3.6 mmol per liter.
• Potassium deficiency  usually occurs when our body loses too much potassium . It happens when some one has chronic diarrhea or vomiting.
• Another cause of potassium deficiency is if some one is taking diuretics .  Diuretics are  A type of drug that causes the kidneys to make more urine. Diuretics help the body get rid of extra fluid and salt. They are used to treat high blood pressure, edema (extra fluid in the tissues), and other conditions. There are many different types of diuretics.

Symptoms of potassium deficiency:

Usually potassium deficiency symptoms does not appear. The scientists have divided the potassium deficiency into 3 stages :

• Mild deficiency:      It is considered mild if a person has blood levels of 3 – 3.5 mmol/l . Symptoms at this stage usually do not appear.
• Moderate deficiency :       When a person is having blood level at 2.5  – 3 mmol/l , he/she is having potassium deficiency at moderate level. Symptoms appear as muscle pain, cramping, discomfort and weakness.
• Sever deficiency :      When blood level is less than 2.5 mmol/l, it is considered as severe deficiency. Irregular heat beat and paralysis are its common symptoms.

Benefits of potassium.

Eating a diet rich in potassium provide some impressive health benefits including :

Kidney stones.

• A kidney stone is a hard object that is made from chemicals in the urine. There are four types of kidney stones: calcium oxalate, uric acid, struvite, and cystine. Researchers have found that potassium rich diets have a link to significantly lower risk of kidney stones. This way potassium and health go together side by side.

High blood pressure.

• Many studied have proven that potassium rich diets can lower the high blood pressure. ( I have my personal experience in this matter. I will explain my story at the end of this article).

Salt sensitivity .

• Doctors strongly advise to  their heart patients to stop consuming salt. Consuming salt by  high blood pressure patients will make their blood pressure worst. Eating potassium rich diet will lower the blood pressure by 10 %.

Stroke:

• Many studies have shown that potassium rich diets may reduce the risk of stroke by 27 %.

Osteoporosis;

Osteoporosis  is a condition related  with an increased risk of bones fractures. Many studies have shown that potassium rich diets may help prevent osteoporosis.

How much is too much?

The excessive level of potassium in the blood is known as hyperkalemia. This condition is determined by a blood level higher than 5.0 mmol per liter. That is dangerous.   People with poor kidney function are generally affected with  Hyperkaliemia .

People taking medicines for kidney may also be affected . Kidneys remove excess potassium, and poor kidneys function may not be able to remove excess potassium. This excess potassium  may buildup in the blood.

Taking too many potassium supplements is also a cause of hyperkaliemia. Bear in mind that health is wealth and potassium and health always go together.

source: healthline.com

My Story:

It was April 1992 when my diabetes was diagnosed. I started treatment under the supervision of Diabetic Institute of Pakistan, Lahore (DIP). Doctors used to check my  diabetes on the first day of every month. I noticed that doctor changes the medicine after 3 months. One year passed. My diabetes was not fully under control. I was feeling weakness and losing my body weight. It will not be  out of place if i let you know that my  body weight on January 1992  was 60 kilo gram . I maintained this body weight since long time. I told my doctor that my diabetes is becoming out of control. He changed the medicines. In those days i used to walk twice a day, early in the morning and after 5.00 pm.

When i felt that treatment of my diabetes is unsuccessful, I stopped taking allopathic medication after 4 years  and shifted to “Tib e Islami “. This system of medicine use natural herbless to cure diseases.  I was taking their medicines for 4 years.

I would like to explain that all medication of allopathy, Tib e Islami, Aru Vedic and Homeopathic medicines DO NOT cure diabetes. These medicines just reduce the glucose in the blood. This  is the glucose which provide strength to body cells . A Harmon called Insulin, produced by human pancreas , take the glucose to body cells and provide them strength. All medicines for diabetes (Except insulin) do not provide any strength to human body. That’s  why diabetic people becoming weak day by day.

Coming back to the point, after 8 years living with diabetes, i lost my body weight, i started to use Homeopathic medicines. I used them for 2 years.

It was 4th June 2004 , my doctor told me that if you want to live longer with good health , then you inject yourself  insulin every day. Since then I inject insulin every day, in the morning and in the evening.  I gained my body weight to 64 kg. My Sugar level is very much under control. Thanks All-Mighty Allah.

As you know, high blood pressure and kidney problems are the free gift of diabetes. I have both of them. On 4th April 1912 i went to the Institute of Cardiology , Lahore. My blood pressure was very high. The doctor prescribed me to take one 50 gram  tablet of Losartan Potassium  ( Xavor – brand name) every day.

I started to take the medicine as prescribed. After 2 months  my leg muscle cramps started when ever i lay down. It happened specially during night. Some times the cramps were so painful that i start crying. The only solution was to stand up and walk. Some time 1/2  hours. And when i try to lay down muscle cramps started again. I could not sleep for the whole night. There were times when my right leg muscle get twisted . I felt as if some one is twisting my leg muscle with a steel big plier. I faced such painful situation from June 2012 to December 2021.  i have written full story of such cramps in my article ” Muscle Cramps“.  In December 2021 , it struck my mind that i must check the side effects of Losartan Potassium. My God. All these muscle cramps were the side effects of this medicine. I threw away the medicine. Slowly the muscle cramp s stopped. Now If i eat tomatoes, banana, avocado, spinach, Muscle cramps start again.

I am  writing down some side effects of Losartan Potassium for knowledge of my blog readers . These side effects are written in the pamphlet of Xavor  manufacturers.

• Black, tarry stools
• bleeding gums
• blood in the urine or stools
• coma
• convulsions
• cough
• decreased urine output
• difficulty swallowing
• headache
• hives, itching, skin rash
• increased thirst
• large, hive-like swelling on the face, eyelids, lips, tongue, throat, hands, legs, feet, or sex organs
• muscle pain or cramps
• pinpoint red spots on the skin
• puffiness or swelling of the eyelids or around the eyes, face, lips, or tongue
• tightness in the chest
• unusual bleeding or bruising

I advise all of you that you must read side effects of any medicine before you start taking it.

Last words:

May All-Mighty Allah bless every body with good health and success.