We've all heard about how potassium is important for muscle contractions, heart health and nerve conduction, but do we truly understand the value and deeper functions this mineral offers us?
Potassium is considered an electrolyte (like calcium, magnesium and sodium). It is a potent solvent, meaning that it helps dissolve compounds in the blood and maintain fluid balance by working with the other electrolytes. It has a role in maintaining our blood's viscosity, cellular acidity and permeability, as well as CO2 transport in red blood cells. Sounds pretty important, right? There's more.
Potassium actually plays a role in nerve conduction and a part on how our nervous system and stress response react. I'm sure you've heard that low potassium diets can cause arrhythmias, tingling of nerves or muscle cramping before, correct? Well, it's not just that it supports the nerve conductions on a physical level, but potassium is also an emotional mineral. It represents femininity and the energy of "will". Without sufficient potassium, we can get anxious, nervous, and even twitchy, which ironically enough is how it physically manifests itself. If you haven't checked out our previous blog post titled Detecting Trauma Through Hair Testing, potassium is represented as feminine mineral when being compared to sodium.
"Sodium is a mineral of “power”, “aggression”, “masculine energy” and potassium is a mineral of “will”, “fluidity” and “feminine energy”. You cannot have “will power” without one or the other, like you can’t have yin or yang, or masculine and feminine. Power is the force of one’s action, where as Will is the desire to act."
In relation to trauma, potassium is actually one of the main minerals our adrenal glands work off of. Our adrenals prioritize three main nutrients: sodium, potassium and vitamin C. These two little glands sitting on top of our kidneys are our bodies first line of defense when it comes to facing stress. Potassium works synergistically with sodium in maintaining the hydration within our cells and the stress hormones produced from the adrenals.
Third, potassium is vital for sensitizing our cells to thyroid hormone.
Ever gone to the doctor and struggle with every single hypothyroid symptom in the book? From constipation, cold extremities, hair loss, bloating, chronic fatigue- you name it, and yet your thyroid seems to be doing fine? Maybe it's not so much the gland itself, but rather how the cells are up taking thyroid hormone. Potassium does just that by telling those little thyroid receptors on every single cell in your body to to let thyroid hormone in and do its job.
Lastly, potassium positively influences blood sugar levels, which coincidentally enough potassium rich foods are what many individuals with blood sugar dysregulation tend to stray away from. Ever wanted a banana, an orange or even a sweet potato? They're all potassium rich! Potassium has insulin-like properties helping our cells uptake glucose better, which in turn can help with symptoms like fatigue, headaches, blood pressure issues, and more.
All in all, potassium is necessary for a series of key functions in the body. If you suspect you're deficient or struggle to get adequate potassium in your diet, consider ordering our Upgraded Potassium which you can find here.