Potassium and stroke

 Dietary Minerals are the group of minerals essential for our body to sustain normal functions and physical health.

In General, potassium is an essential mineral to our body in building proteins and muscles, breaking down carbohydrates, maintaining normal body growth and normal heart electricity, etc.
Besides cancer and heart diseases, stroke is the third leading cause of death. Approximate 1/4 of all stroke victims die as a direct result of the stroke or it's complications.

The benefits
Prolonged period intake of low potassium diet may cause lower serum potassium level in diuretic users, and low potassium intake in those not taking diuretic were associated with increased stroke incidence in elder. Lower serum potassium also was associated with a particularly high risk for stroke in the small number of diuretic users. Other in the study of dietary potassium and total energy intake estimated that at baseline by using a 24-hour dietary recall, patients, who follow a low potassium diet of <34.6 mmol potassium per day are at 28% higher hazard of stroke and stroke-associated mortality.

The Side effects
Overdose of potassium, also known as hyperkalemia may result of symptoms of hypotension, stomach cramps, diarrhea, vomiting, irritability, fatigue, etc., and in some cases, it can be life-threatening due to electrolyte abnormality.
 
References
(1) Serum potassium level and dietary potassium intake as risk factors for stroke by Green DM, Ropper AH, Kronmal RA, Psaty BM, Burke GL; Cardiovascular Health Study.(PubMed)
(2) Potassium intake, stroke, and cardiovascular disease a meta-analysis of prospective studies by D'Elia L, Barba G, Cappuccio FP, Strazzullo P.(PubMed)
(3) Dietary potassium and stroke-associated mortality. A 12-year prospective population study by Khaw KT, Barrett-Connor E.(PubMed)