Potassium
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Potassium is a chemical element. It is a silvery white metallic alkali metal which is found in seawater and in a number of minerals. Potassium gets its name from potash, a substance used in the manufacture of both glass and soap, from which it was first isolated.
Potassium is an essential element needed for the growth of all plant life and is found in most types of soil. Its most common use is as a fertilizer. Potassium is also used in the manufacturing of gun powder, the manufacturing of glass, as a substitute for table salt, in medicine to stop the heart during cardiac surgery and in legal executions by lethal injection. In the cells of human beings, potassium is absolutely essential for human life to exist.
Potassium was discovered in 1807 by a British chemist and physicist Sir Humphry Davy, who separated it from caustic potash. It was the first metal to be isolated by electrolysis .
Scientific studies have shown that potassium is an absolute necessity for the daily diet of human beings. It is needed for the proper electrolyte balance in human cells and for the release of energy from proteins, fats and carbohydrates during the process known as metabolism. Studies have shown that potassium also aids in muscle contraction in the human body. Potassium deficiency, which is also known as hypokalemia , is potentially fatal to human beings. Signs of potassium deficiency in the human body include such things as dry skin, acne, chills, diarrhea, impaired cognitive functions, muscle spasms, arrhythmia, decreased reflex responses, thirst, glucose intolerance, growth retardation, insomnia, elevated cholesterol levels and decreased blood pressure.
Some food sources of potassium are salmon, flounder, sardines, broccoli, peas, lima beans, tomatoes, potatoes (especially the skins of potatoes), spinach, dandelion greens, lettuce, parsley, oranges, lemons, grapefruits, limes, tangerines, kumquats, apples, bananas, cantaloupes, melons, dates, dried beans, winter squash, collard greens, prunes and apricots. It is interesting to note, that some studies have indicated dried apricots have been found to be a far richer source of potassium than are fresh apricots.
Some medical doctors and other professional health care experts feel that studies indicate that people with certain kinds of kidney disorders should avoid large amounts of potassium in their daily dietary intakes. Some medical doctors and other professional health care experts also have advised in some cases that people for whom certain genetic kidney disorders are a potential concern should also avoid large amounts of potassium in their daily diets. Some medical doctors and professional health care workers feel that scientific studies have shown that too much potassium in the body can possibly have the potential to lead to irregular heart beats and potentially to cardiac arrest.
