Potasium

I am not entirely sure about your reasoning for asking this question as it appears to be somewhat unrelated to Chinese Medicine, but I'll give you some basic answers and if you want to clarify the purpose for the question perhaps I can offer more information.

1. Role of Potassium

Potassium is involved in a large number of processes within the body. These involve muscle contractions, heartbeat/rhythm, nerve conduction, fluid balance, protein synthesis and more. It is balance by sodium. Some functions are:

<ul><li><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Regulates heart function</font></li><li><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Reduces blood pressure</font></li><li><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Essential for protein and nucleid acid synthesis</font></li><li><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Required for normal fluid balance</font></li><li><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Fundamental for normal nerve and muscle function</font></li><li><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Converts glucose into glycogen (muscle fuel)</font></li><li><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Important role in kidney function</font></li><li><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Helps lungs eliminate carbon dioxide</font></li><li><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Needed to maintain acid/alkali balance</font></li></ul>

2. Low Potassium Effects

Initially minor low potassium levels will lead to symptoms such as fatique and/or muscle weakness. In more severe cases you will have broad disruptions in the nervous and muscular system, in heart rhythm, blood pressure will drop, and kidney function will suffer - amongst other effects.

3. Production of potassium

Potassium is not made in the body - it comes from our diet. Most shortages probably come from an excessive intake of sodium rather than any real problem with potassium intake. It is absorbed primarily by the small intestine and excess is eliminated through the urine via the kidneys. Elevated amounts of potassium in the body most often indicate some sort of kidney problem.