Potassium
It was given the name potassium because it was
obtained from potash. It is an indispensible constituent of the body cells.
·
Potassium
is an important intracellular cation and needed for all cellular functions.
·
It
maintains the alkalinity of the bile and blood.
·
It plays
an important role in the regulation of acid-base balance in the cell.
·
It
influences cardiac muscle activity.
·
The
glycolytic enzyme pyruvate kinase requires potassium for its maximal activity.
Most foods contain potassium. Animal sources
include meat, fish , egg, milk, cheese. Vegetables like onion and carrot,
fruits like banana, grapes and legumes such as beans also contain potassium.
The normal intake of potassium in food is about
4 gm/day.
Normally potassium is completely absorbed from
the gastro intestinal tract and it is normally eliminated almost entirely in
the urine and a small amount in the feces.
Deficiency of potassium leads to depression in
cardiac and nervous system. Severe vomitting, diarrhoea, loss of appetite,
fasting or starvation over a long period of time, may lead to deficiency of
potassium. It also occurs during renal failure and shock. Fatigue, muscular
weakness, heart and respiratory dysfunction are common signs of potassium
deficiency.
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