What is potassium?

If the human body lacks electrolytes, many physiological functions will stop, and the balance of water and acid-base in the human body will also be destroyed.

Potassium helps the heart maintain a regular heartbeat and helps stabilize blood pressure.

Function of potassium: Potassium is a relatively large amount of substance in the body. Most of it exists in cells and coordinates with the extracellular environment to maintain the acid-base balance of blood and body fluids, as well as maintain the stability of water balance and osmotic pressure in the body.

Other potassium is dispersed and stored in nerves, blood cells and muscles.

The most important function of sodium, potassium, and chlorine is to maintain the balance of water and pH in the body.

Effects of potassium deficiency on the body: People with long-term potassium deficiency will have symptoms such as arrhythmia, abnormal nerve conduction, and vomiting.

When a large amount of water is lost (such as diarrhea and very heavy sweating), in addition to replenishing water, electrolytes must also be replenished. If only a large amount of water is replenished without replenishing electrolytes, "failure" such as weakness, cramps, vomiting and diarrhea will occur.

” symptoms.

Sources of absorption: Meat, milk, cheese, fresh fruits and vegetables, oranges, raisins, potatoes, bananas, winter melon. Bananas contain the most potassium.

Recommended intake of potassium: The intake of potassium should not be excessive, otherwise it will cause sodium loss and deficiency.

People who take antibiotics, diuretics for a long time, and those who consume too much salt must take in more potassium.

To "anti-sweat" in summer, you should supplement potassium Health News In summer, many people in the city are accustomed to bringing a bottle of pure water with them when they go out; but in the countryside, people like to drink tea when they go out to work.

While both can replenish water lost through heavy sweating, they don't work in the same way.

Drinking tea can not only quench thirst but also eliminate fatigue.

Why can drinking tea eliminate fatigue?

The reason is that the human body is prone to potassium deficiency in summer. Potassium deficiency can make people feel tired and fatigued, and tea is rich in potassium.

There are three reasons for potassium deficiency in the human body in summer. First, the human body sweats a lot in summer. In addition to water and sodium, sweat also contains a certain amount of potassium ions.

Second, people's appetite decreases in summer, and the intake of potassium ions from food decreases accordingly, which will lead to insufficient potassium intake.

Third, when the weather is hot, the human body consumes more energy, and energy metabolism requires the participation of potassium.

The potassium concentration in human serum is only 3.5~5.5mmol/L, but it is necessary for life activities.

The main role of potassium in the human body is to maintain acid-base balance, participate in energy metabolism, and maintain normal neuromuscular function.

When potassium is lacking in the body, it can cause general weakness, fatigue, weakened heartbeat, and dizziness. Severe potassium deficiency can also lead to respiratory muscle paralysis and death.

In addition, low potassium can slow down gastrointestinal motility, lead to intestinal paralysis, aggravate anorexia, and cause symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and abdominal distension.

Clinical medical data also prove that people with heatstroke have reduced blood potassium.

The key to preventing and treating hypokalemia is potassium supplementation.

Oral 10% potassium chloride solution can be used clinically, but the safest and most effective method is to eat more potassium-rich foods, especially fruits and vegetables.

Fruits rich in potassium include bananas, strawberries, citrus, grapes, grapefruits, watermelons, etc. Vegetables such as spinach, yams, edamame, amaranth, and green onions are also rich in potassium. Soybeans, mung beans, broad beans, kelp, seaweed, yellow croaker, and chicken

, milk, cornmeal, etc. also contain a certain amount of potassium.

Various juices, especially orange juice, are also rich in potassium and can replenish water and energy.

The tea mentioned earlier has been measured to contain 1.1% to 2.3% potassium, so tea is the best summer drink.

Eat more potassium and reduce stroke. According to statistics released by the 24th Internal Medicine Society held in Stuttgart, Federal Republic of Germany, 60% of stroke cases are caused by high blood pressure, 30% are caused by arteriosclerosis, and only 10% are caused by

Cerebral aneurysms, cerebrovascular malformations or hemorrhagic diseases are caused, and the formation and development of hypertension and arteriosclerosis are related to the patient's diet.

American medical scientists followed 859 men and women aged 50-79 in Southern California for 12 years and found that those who ate a low-potassium diet were indeed more likely to die from stroke than those who ate a high-potassium diet.

Follow-up observations have found that if the daily potassium intake increases by 10 milligrams, the risk of death from stroke can be reduced by 40%.

Therefore, if patients with hypertension and arteriosclerosis can eat more foods with higher potassium content, it will help lower blood pressure and reduce the possibility of death from stroke.

Foods rich in potassium include beans, vegetables, and fruits.

Among beans, soybeans have the highest potassium content; among vegetables, spinach, potatoes, yams, lettuce, etc. have the highest potassium content; among fruits, oranges have the highest potassium content.

Don’t forget to replenish potassium when you’re sweating profusely (2001-07-20 09:57:24) Under normal circumstances, although the potassium content of meals is not high, it can just meet the needs of the human body and no special supplement is needed.

However, in the hot summer, especially this summer when the temperature continues to be high, excessive sweating can lead to potassium deficiency in the body, which can make people feel tired and weak, reduce energy and physical strength, and reduce heat tolerance.