La potassium deficiency it may depend on one incorrect nutrition or from abuse of drugs and psychotropic substances. Among the symptoms due to the lack of the mineral, there are physical weakness, brittle bones, hypertension and infertility. Let's find out better how to cure it.
> Symptoms of potassium deficiency
> The cause
> How to integrate potassium deficiency with your diet
Hypertension among the symptoms of potassium deficiency
Symptoms of potassium deficiency
Potassium is an indispensable mineral for the body, it is present with a percentage equal to 5%. It is mainly found inside cells and deals with regulating the functioning of muscles, such as heart rhythm and muscle contraction, maintaining the right degree of alkali in body fluids, also regulating water retention and diuresis, blood pressure and the nervous system.
Potassium is especially needed when tissues are forming, in childhood and adolescence. This precious mineral plays a fundamental action in the synthesis of proteins, is able to activate enzymes and stimulate the secretion of insulin. The symptoms of potassium deficiency are different. Among the first symptoms of potassium deficiency in the body are: general physical weakness, malfunction of the neuro-muscular system, fragility of the bones, hypertension, sterility.
If there is a lack of potassium, the alertness decreases and it becomes increasingly difficult to concentrate, the muscles are without tone, the kidneys work poorly, the heartbeat slows down more and more, the heart struggles to pump blood, you risk obesity due to water retention . If the potassium level is low in adolescents, this could also cause skin problems such as acne, for example. In old age it causes dehydration.
What Are Potassium-Rich Foods?
The causes of potassium deficiency
Potassium can be removed even before it enters the body, already inside food. Food preservatives and agricultural fertilizers in fact undermine the permanence of the precious mineral in food.
Sweets, some medicines such as cortisone or aldosterone, table salt, laxatives, some hormonal preparations, are among the main elements that can cause potassium deficiency in the body. A major deficiency this mineral can also manifest itself due to substance abuse such as alcohol and coffee, which increase urinary excretion.
To keep under control, especially in the hot months, theexcessive sweating. When disturbances of the digestive or intestinal tract are found, potassium deficiency can also occur.
The balance between sodium and potassium is very delicate in the body: if sodium increases, there will certainly be a greater expulsion of potassium.
How to supplement potassium deficiency with nutrition
Potassium is found in many plants, fruits and vegetables, such as: bananas, wheat, rice, potatoes, grapes, pears, apricots, cherries, dates, cabbage, beans, leeks, artichokes, spinach, endive, rocket, lettuce, hazelnuts, almonds. Legumes, fish, chicken and whole grains must not be missing to ensure a good intake.
The consumption of raw vegetables or simple cooking methods it is preferable, as the more elaborate the preparations, the greater the dispersion of potassium. It is very important avoid high salt consumption and eliminate from your pantry industrial sweets, products containing food preservatives.
even the brewer's yeast, pollen, sunflower seeds, wheat germ they are good suppliers of potassium in the diet.
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