NTRN 201 FINAL STUDY GUIDE

What are the functional categories of nutrients and which nutrients fall under those categories?

Functional Categories:
primarily provide energy
important for growth and development
regulate body processes and keep functions running smoothly
Nutrients that fall under these categories:
carbohydrates, protein, lipids/fat, vitamins, minerals, and water

What other ways are nutrients categorized and at what levels?

Macronutrients: nutrients needed in large quantities (carbs, protein, lipids/fats)
Micronutrients: vitamins and minerals are needed in such small amounts in the diet

What are the functions of micronutrients?

vitamins and minerals are needed in such small amounts in the diet
vitamins enable many chemical reactions to occur in the body
help release energy trapped in carbs, lipids, and proteins

What is the general chemical structure of different nutrients? (organic vs. inorganic)

organic compounds: substance that contains carbon atoms bonded to hydrogen atoms in the chemical structure
inorganic compounds: lack carbon atoms bonded to hydrogen atoms

Define Appetite vs. Hunger. How does each influence our desire to eat?

hunger: primarily physiological (internal) drive to find and eat food, mostly regulated by internal cues to eating
Appetite: primarily psychological (external) influence that encourages us to find and eat food, often in the absence of obvious hunger

Basic functions of nutrients (growth, structure etc.)

They are the main source of energy for the body.
They help in building and repairing body tissues.
Increases the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins.
Helps in the synthesis of collagen.
Provides proper structure to the blood vessels, bones and ligaments.
They also help in maintaining the homeostasis of the body.

What type of improvements can be made in the typical American diet?

treat food as medicine
focus on quality of calories, not just quantity
expand access to dietary and lifestyle counseling
support food entrepreneurs
increase the number of new farmers growing healthy foods using regenerative farming techniques
make school meals free for all students
establish a federal “food czar”

Dietary Guidelines for Americans – purpose and key recommendations

reduce the risk of obesity, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, alcoholism, and foodborne illness

MyPlate: basic messages including foods to increase and reduce

MyPlate focuses on these key behaviors
Balancing Calories
Enjoy your food, but eat less
Avoid oversized portions
Foods to Increase
Make half your plate fruits and vegetables
Make at least half your grains whole grains
Switch to fat free (skim) or low fat (1%) milk
Foods to Reduce
Compare sodium in foods like soup, bread, and frozen means and choose foods with lower numbers
Drink water instead of sugary drinks

What is the difference between RDA and AI?

Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA): the dietary intake level that is sufficient to meet the nutrient requirement of nearly all healthy individuals in a particular life stage and gender group
Adequate Intake (AI): a recommended intake value based on observed or experimentally determined approximations or estimates of nutrient intake by a group of healthy people that is assumed adequate; used when an RDA cannot be determined.
An AI is the average amount of a nutrient needed, and an RDA is the minimum amount needed per day.

Where are different nutrients absorbed?

Stomach: Alcohol (20%) and water (minor amount)
Small Intestine:
calcium, magnesium, iron, and other minerals
glucose
amino acids
fats
vitamins
water (70 to 90% of total)
alcohol (80%)
bile acids
Large Intestine
sodium
potassium
some fatty acids
vitamin K and biotin (synthesized by microorganisms in the LI)
gases
water (10-30%)

Define peristalsis.

the process by which food is mixed with digestive secretions and propelled down the GI

What is the site in the GI tract where most digestion takes place?

small intestine

What is the storage form of glucose? What is its function?

glycogen is the storage form of glucose
When the body needs a quick boost of energy or when the body isn't getting glucose from food, glycogen is broken down to release glucose into the bloodstream to be used as fuel for the cells.

What is dietary fiber?

fiber in food, includes the parts of plant foods your body can't digest or absorb.

What are the different ways the body can produce glucose?

The liver supplies sugar or glucose by turning glycogen into glucose in a process called glycogenolysis. The liver also can manufacture necessary sugar or glucose by harvesting amino acids, waste products and fat byproducts. This process is called gluconeogenesis.

What are the risk factors and treatments for diabetes?

Type 1
Autoimmune
Occurs more often in children
Body stops producing insulin
Treatment
Insulin therapy
Diet therapy
Type 2
Generally, in people > 40 years of age
Increasing rates in younger individuals
Obesity
Treatment
Weight loss
oral medication
Diet therapy
Insulin: hormone produced by beta cells of the pancreas. Among other processes, insulin increases the synthesis of glycogen in the liver and the movement of glucose from the bloodstream into muscle and adipose cells

What are the functions of protein in the body?

proteins form important structures in the body, make up key part of blood, help regulate body functions, can fuel body cells

If an amino acid is unavailable for protein synthesis, what occurs?

synthesis of the protein will stop and be limited

Define the biological value of a food protein.

Biological value measures protein quality by calculating the nitrogen used for tissue formation divided by the nitrogen absorbed from food.

What are complementary proteins?

two food protein sources that make up for each others inadequate supply of specific essential amino acids → together they yield a sufficient amount of all nine and so provide high quality complete protein for the diet

Describe food combinations that yield complete proteins

Nuts or seeds with whole grains (peanut butter on whole wheat toast) Whole grains with beans (beans and rice; hummus and pita bread)

What affects protein quality?

Food protein quality is traditionally dependent on its amino acid content and the availability of these amino acids in circulation

What is positive nitrogen balance? Negative nitrogen balance?

when protein intake is less than that lost, an individual is in negative protein balance
when protein intake is greater than losses a state of positive balance is attained

What are the functions of fatty acids in the body?

Immune system functions and vision
Help form cell membranes
Produce eicosanoids, which are involved in practically all important functions in the body

What do trans fatty acids do to cholesterol? Raise or lower? Which type of cholesterol?

Trans fats increase LDL cholesterol and decrease HDL cholesterol, which can increase the risk of heart attack or stroke.

Describe the Mediterranean diet.

Olive oil as the main fat
∙ Abundant daily intake of fruits, vegetables (especially leafy greens like purslane, which is
high in omega-3 fatty acids), whole grains, beans, nuts, and seeds
∙ An emphasis on minimally processed and, wherever possible, seasonally fresh and locally
grown foods
∙ Daily intake of small amounts of cheese and yogurt ∙ Weekly intake of low to moderate amounts of fish ∙ Limited use of eggs and red meat
∙ Regular exercise
∙ Moderate drinking of wine at mealtime

What are the functions of cholesterol in the body?

Your body needs some cholesterol to make hormones, vitamin D, and substances that help you digest foods. Your body makes all the cholesterol it needs.

Where does digestion of lipids occur?

The digestion of lipids begins in the oral cavity through exposure to lingual lipases, which are secreted by glands in the tongue to begin the process of digesting triglycerides. Digestion continues in the stomach through the effects of both lingual and gastric enzymes.

What is the major fat-digesting enzyme?

Lipase is the major enzyme that breaks down dietary fats into smaller molecules called fatty acids and glycerol. This is done when lipase hydrolyzes lipids, the ester bonds in triglycerides.

What is a lipoprotein?

a compound in bloodstream containing a core of lipids with shell composed of protein, phospholipids, and cholesterol

Function of lipoprotein?

fulfilling their major physiological role of bulk lipid transport, help maintain the lipid composition of cell membranes, and directly influence several cellular biochemical reactions.

What are the benefits and risks associated with alcohol consumption?

Alcohol abuse can lead to poor nutritional status and development of nutrient deficiencies
Alcohol may replace food in the diet
If relied on for majority of energy needs, protein energy malnutrition develops, with symptoms similar to kwashiorkor
Moderate alcohol intake may:
Reduce stress and anxiety
Episodically
Stimulate appetite and increase dietary intake in elderly
Lower risk of cardiovascular disease

What are the recommendations for at risk sub groups related to alcohol consumption?

For people who are not pregnant, and those older than age 65: No more than three drinks on any single day, and no more than seven drinks per week. For males up to age 65 years: No more than four drinks on any single day, and no more than 14 drinks per week.

What are the signs and symptoms of alcohol abuse?

Experiencing temporary blackouts or short-term memory loss
Exhibiting signs of irritability and extreme mood swings
Making excuses for drinking such as to relax, deal with stress or feel normal
Choosing drinking over other responsibilities and obligations
Becoming isolated and distant from friends and family members
Drinking alone or in secrecy
Feeling hungover when not drinking
Changing appearance and group of acquaintances you hang out with

Define hunger and appetite.

hunger: primarily physiological (internal) drive to find and eat food, mostly regulated by internal cues to eating
Appetite: primarily psychological (external) influence that encourages us to find and eat food, often in the absence of obvious hunger

What is metabolism?

the chemical reactions in the body's cells that change food into energy. Our bodies need this energy to do everything from moving to thinking to growing. Specific proteins in the body control the chemical reactions of metabolism.
metabolic pathways → Glycolysis, fatty acid synthesis, and glycogen synthesis happen in the cytoplasm, along with some steps of amino acid breakdown. Several metabolic pathways are in specific locations inside of mitochondria.

What is ATP?

Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is the source of energy for use and storage at the cellular level. The structure of ATP is a nucleoside triphosphate, consisting of a nitrogenous base (adenine), a ribose sugar, and three serially bonded phosphate groups.

How are amino acids metabolized to produce energy?

Transamination: the pathway allows cells to synthesize nonessential amino acids
deamination: the pathway allows for loss of an amino group without transferring it to another carbon skeleton

What are the physiological effects of fasting at short, intermediate, and long time periods?

In the first few hours of a fast, the body fuels itself with stored liver glycogen and fatty acids and adipose tissue
As it prolongs body fat continues to be broken down and live glycogen becomes exhausted
First Few days: body protein is broken down rapidly → supplies 90% of needed glucose
sodium and potassium depletion also can result during fasting
after several weeks of fasting world or more of the nervous systems energy needs are met by ketone bodies

What conditions lead to ketosis?

Severe carb restriction can cause your body to break fat down into ketones for energy. This is called ketosis. Ketosis can cause side effects such as bad breath, headache, fatigue and weakness. It's not clear what kind of possible long-term health risks a low-carb diet may pose.

What are the different pathways for alcohol metabolism and when do they occur?

Alcohol requires no:
Digestion
Specific transport mechanisms
Receptors
Rapidly absorbed through GI tract by simple diffusion
Carbonation increases rate of absorption
Stomach absorbs 20%
Remained absorbed in small intestine
1. Alcohol Dehydrogenase (A D H) pathway
Low to moderate intakes
2. Liver activates microsomal ethonal oxidizing system (M E O S) to help
During moderate to excessive alcohol intake, A D H pathway cannot keep up
As intake increases overtime, M E O S is more active
Allows for efficient metabolism and greater tolerance
More alcohol is required to produce same effects
Capacity for drug metabolism is decreased
3. Catalase Pathway
Minor contribution to alcohol metabolism

Describe how the body prioritizes energy production from macronutrients and the different fates of macronutrients when metabolized.

Macronutrients are rich sources of energy because carbs, proteins, and fats are interrelated and serve as fuel for body cells.
cells release the energy in carbs and capture it as ATP and triglycerides
fatty acids used to generate energy can come from triglycerides
The answer lies in the coupling between the oxidation of nutrients and the synthesis of high-energy compounds, particularly ATP, which works as the main chemical energy carrier in all cells.

How is metabolism regulated?

when it comes to regulating these metabolic pathways, the liver plays the major role because it responds to hormones and makes use of vitamins
additional means of regulating metabolism involve ATP concentrations, enzymes, hormones, vitamins, and minerals

What are the main differences between aerobic and anaerobic metabolism?

Aerobic metabolism is the process of extracting energy from carbohydrate sources such as fatty acids, amino acids.
Anaerobic metabolism, which can be defined as ATP production without oxygen (or in the absence of oxygen), occurs by direct phosphate transfer from phosphorylated intermediates, such as glycolytic intermediates or creatine phosphate (CrP), to ADP forming ATP.
While aerobic metabolism generates more ATP and relies on oxygen, anaerobic metabolism does not need oxygen but only creates two ATP molecules per glucose molecule. However, anaerobic and aerobic metabolism are both required to produce cellular energy.

What happens to different macronutrients when in a feasted state?

fat consumed in excess of needs goes immediately into storage adipose cells
high fat, high energy diets promote the accumulation of body fat
excess of protein can reside in amino acid pools in the body
carbs consumed in excess of need is used first to maximize glycogen stores → carb consumption stimulates the use of carbohydrate as fuel and storage of excess amounts as body fats

What are inborn errors of metabolism?

Caused by the lack of a specific enzyme to preform normal metabolic functions and the metabolic pathway in which the enzyme is supposed to participate does not function normally
can cause alternative metabolic products to be formed which can sometimes be toxic to the body
inherited → gene carried by both parents and then passed on to child
there is no cure but some control is offered
phenylketonuria is the most common form

Define set point theory

the set point theory proposes that humans have a genetically predetermined body weight or body fat content, which the body closely regulates

What is energy balance?

energy balance is the relationship between energy intake and energy expenditure
when the calories consumed from food and beverages (energy intake) match the amount of energy expended

What is positive energy balance?

when energy output does not surpass energy intake

What is negative energy balance?

when energy output surpasses energy intake

What daily deficit of calories is needed to lose one pound per week?

~500 calories

What contributes to total energy expenditure?

for a sedentary person basal metabolism accounts for about 60-70% of total energy expenditure
physical activity, digestion, absorption, and processing of nutrients makes up the rest
thermogenesis: the energy expended during fidgeting or shivering in response to cold
contributes minorly to expenditure though

What is BMR?

Basal metabolic rate represents the minimum amount of energy expended in a fasting state to keep a resting, awake body alive in a warm quiet environment.

What affects BMR?

Increase BMR:
Greater muscle mass
Larger body surface area
Male gender (males typically have more body surface area and muscle mass than females)
Body temperature (fever or cold environmental conditions)
Higher than normal secretions of thyroid hormones (a key regulator of basal metabolism)
Aspects of nervous system activity (e.g., the release of stress hormones)
Growth stages of the life cycle
Caffeine and tobacco use (using tobacco to control body weight is not recommended because too many health risks are increased)
Recent exercise
Decrease BMR
Lower than normal secretions of thyroid hormones (hypothyroidism)
Restricted calorie intake
Less body surface area and muscle mass
Aging after age 30 years

What is TEF?

thermic effect of food (TEF) is the energy the body uses to digest, absorb, transport, store, and metabolize nutrients
accounts for 5-10% of all energy consumed each day
large meals result in higher TEF values than the same amount of food eaten over many hours

What factors influence obesity risk?

when a child has 1 obese parent, that risk rises 40% when 2 parents are obese its 80%
aging: adults tend to gain weight as they age due to the slowing of basal metabolism
female gender: women naturally have greater fat stores than men
high calorie diet: excess energy intake, binge eating, preference for high energy dense foods
sedentary lifestyle: a low or decreasing amount of physical activity favors weight gain
weight history: overweight children & teens → increased risk of being overweight in adulthoods
social and behavioral factors
certain medications: stimulate appetite, causing food intake to increase
geographic location
genetic characteristics

Define Body Mass Index (BMI)

Body mass index only evaluates an individual's height and weight. Body composition evaluates the breakdown of fat and fat free mass, giving a better estimate of fitness level and health risk.

What are the different BMI categories?

Healthy BMI: 19-24
Overweight BMI: 25-29
Obese BMI: 30+

When is BMI not an accurate predictor of obesity and overweight?

The limitation of BMI is that this measurement does not distinguish fat from muscle. According to some research, more than half of Americans have a normal BMI but a high body fat percentage, which is known as normal weight obesity. A person who has normal weight obesity is just as unhealthy as someone with a high BMI.

What can be used instead of BMI to determine body fatness?

skinfold thickness is a common anthropometric method to estimate total body fat content
accuracy of this method is good
bioelectrical impedance: estimates body fat content by sending a painless, low energy electrical current through the body
Dual Energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is considered the most accurate way to determine body fat but the equipment is very expensive and not widely available

How does body fat distribution indicate health risk?

Upper body obesity is more often related to cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes

What the principles of a sound weight loss plan?

control of energy intake
regular physical activity
control of problem behaviors

How is weight loss success defined?

weight loss success is defined as the ability to keep the weight off rather than gaining it back

Where is appetite regulated?

the hypothalamus

What are some behavior modification strategies for weight control?

chain breaking: separates the link between behaviors that tend to occur together
stimulus control: alters the environment to minimize the stimuli for eating
cognitive restructuring: changes ones from of mind regarding eating
contingency management: prepares one for situations that may trigger overeating
self monitoring: tracks which foods are eaten, when, why, how one feels etc..

What are the characteristics of an appropriate weight-loss program?

rate of loss
flexibility
intake
behavior modification
overall health

What are the treatments for morbid obesity?

Healthy eating plan and regular physical activity
Changing your habits
Weight-management programs
Weight-loss medicines (drug treatment for weight loss)
Weight-loss devices
Bariatric surgery
Special diets (Very-low calorie diets (VLCDs)
Gastroplasty (stomach stapling → gastric bypass)
gastric sleeve

Why is prevention of eating disorders so important?

Without treatment, eating disorders can cause serious physical health complications, including heart conditions and kidney failure, which may even lead to death
Disordered eating can escalate into physiological changes associated with sustained food restriction, binge eating, purging, and fluctuations in weight that interfere with everyday activities. It also involves emotional and cognitive changes that affect how people perceive and experience their bodies, such as feelings of distress or extreme concern about body shape or weight.31 Eating dis- orders frequently co-occur with other psychological disorders, such as depression, substance abuse, and anxiety
disorders.

Describe the strategies to treat and prevent eating disorders?

Self-help groups for those with eating disorders, as well as their families and friends, represent non threatening first steps into treatment. People also can attend self-help group meetings to get a sense of whether they really do have an eating disorder
Nutrition Therapy
Ultimately achieve and maintain weight gain
Increase food intake to raise basal metabolism
Prevent further weight loss
Gain 2-3 pounds per week BMI goal of 20+
Restore appropriate food habits
Restrict excessive activity
Psychological therapy
Pharmacological therapy

What are the difference between anorexia and bulimia?

Anorexia Nervosa
Three criteria
Severely restrict energy intake relative to requirements
Intense fear of gaining weight or becoming obese
Very distorted body image
Physical Effects of Anorexia
Visible
“Skin and Bone” appearance
Rough, dry, scaly, cold skin
Lanugo and loss of hair
Loss of teeth
Non-visible
Slowed basal metabolism & HR lowered body temperature
Nutrient deficiencies
Low white blood cell count
Bulimia Nervosa
Bulimia means ravenous hunger
Recurrent episodes of binge eating followed by some type of compensatory behavior to prevent weight gain
Compensatory behaviors: actions take to rid body of excess calories and/or alleviate guilt, anxiety associated with binge; include vomiting, misuse of laxatives, or excessive exercise
Likely many people with bulimic behavior never diagnosed

What are the characteristics of vitamins?

body can't make enough to maintain health
absence causes a deficiency that can be cured if vitamin is resupplied in time
not a source of energy
aid in energy metabolism, growth, development, and maintenance of body tissues

What are the classifications of vitamins?

Fat Soluble vitamins
water soluble vitamins

What are the differences between fat-soluble and water-soluble vitamins?

water soluble vitamins dissolve in water
Vitamins C and B and Choline
Absorbed primarily in small intestine
Transported to liver via portal vein and distributed to body tissues
Tissue saturation
fat soluble vitamins: dissolve in organic solvents such as ether and benzene
Vitamins A,D,E,K
Absorbed with dietary fat
Anything interfering with fat absorption will impair fat soluble absorption
Stored in fat

What are the ways to preserve vitamin content when storing, preparing, or cooking foods?

The more ripe a fruit or vegetable is, the more vitamin content it has
Freezing can help retain nutrients
Often blanched first, increasing vitamin content
Water soluble particularly susceptible to destruction by heat, light, air exposure, cooking in water and alkalinity

How are fat soluble vitamins absorbed in the body?

Vitamins A, D, E, K

What are the classifications of minerals?

Major: need 100 mg + per
Trace: need less than 100 mg per day
Ultratrace: trace amounts in diet, not essential to human health
Nickel and cobalt

Where are minerals absorbed in the body?

majority absorbed in the small intestine

What are some of the issues with mineral absorption? Interactions? Competition?

a significant factor in the body’s ability to absorb minerals is bioavailability
minerals can compete with each other for absorption thereby affecting each others bioavailability
ex: excess of zinc can decrease the absorption and metabolism of the mineral copper
this competition for absorption is of little concern when minerals are supplied by a varied diet; however, individual mineral supplements can create a serious imbalance
choose mineral supplements that contain 10% less of the DV and use them under medical supervision

What vitamins are synthesized in the body?

Vitamin A: can be synthesized from plant pigments → beta carotene to vitamin A
Vitamin D: can be synthesized by skin in the presence of sunlight
Niacin: can be synthesized from the amino acid tryptophan
Vitamin K and Biotin: can be synthesized by gut bacteria to some extent

Dietary supplement labels – what does USP mean on the label?

U.S. Pharmacopeia
USP approved brands are tested to ensure that contaminants are not present in harmful amounts, that the ingredients listed on the label are actually in the supplements and will dissolve in the body, and that the supplements were made under safe sanitary conditions

What is enrichment? Bread and cereals are enriched with what vitamins?

enrichment is used to add vitamins and minerals back into foods
nearly all bread and cereal products made from milled grains are enriched with 4 B Vitamins
thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, and folic acid → mineral iron

What types of foods contain Vitamin C?

fruits and vegetables

Why are refined grains less healthy than whole grains?

vitamin B-6 is lost during the refining of grains

What are the functions of water in the body?

Temperature regulation
Removal of waste products
Component of body fluids
Distribution of nutrients
Lubricant
Chemical reactions
Acid base balance

How does water regulate body temperature?

water has a high heat capacity of specific heat. this means that water resists temperature changes so its temperature rises slowly when it is heated
sweat which is 99% water is the another way water helps maintain normal body temperature → perspiration cools the body

What hormones participate in fluid conservation in the body? What role do they play?

Antidiuretic hormone (ADH)
Secreted by pituitary gland when blood volume is down
Tells kidneys to decrease water excretion which in turn increases blood volume
Aldosterone and angiotensin
Produced by adrenal glands
Tells kidneys to conserve sodium and water

Is thirst a good indicator of hydration status? Why or why not?

Controlled by your hypothalamus
If thirsty, you are dehydrated
Can lag behind in some situations, exercise, illness
Infants and children → Need close monitoring, vomiting, diarrhea
Hypothalamus sensitivity declines with age, increases dehydration risk in elderly
the thirst mechanism does not always work well

How much water (in cups) should athletes consume for each pound lost during exercise?

Consume 2-3 cups fluid/water each pound lost during exercise

What are symptoms of dehydration/heat exhaustion/stroke?

mild to moderate dehydration
dry mouth and skin
fatigue and muscle weakness
decreased urine output
deep yellow (concentrated) urine, headache, and dizziness
Extreme dehydration
solute concentrations in the blood rise
blood pressure decreases
heart rate increases due to low blood volume
kidney failure, seizures, delirium, coma, even death

What is the daily adequate intake for water?

The adequate intake for total water intake per day is 15 cups (3.7 liters) for adult men and 11 cups (2.7 L) for adult women

Can a person consume too much water?

Fatal water intoxication → hyponatremia
Leads to seizures, comas, and death
water accumulates in the blood and dilutes sodium in the serum
causes cells to swell (brain cells swell and can cause death)

What is the difference between intracellular and extracellular fluid?

body fluids are found in 2 body compartments
Intracellular fluid: compartment → inside the cell
⅔ of body water is found in the intracellular fluid compartment
Cations: Potassium and Magnesium
Anions: phosphate and sulfate
Extracellular fluid: compartment → outside of the cells
cations: sodium and calcium
anions: chloride and bicarbonate

What are the functions of sodium?

3 major functions
aids in water balance
helps in the absorption of glucose and some amino acids in the small intestine
required for normal muscle and nerve function
main solute in extracellular fluid compartment so it regulates ECF and plasma volumes

What are high sodium food sources?

most sodium in diets comes from processed foods
mixed dishes (burgers, pizza, pasta, and sandwiches
protein foods (cold cuts, cured meats, and processes meats
various grains, vegetables, and snacks and sweets
bottled sauces, condiments, spreads, and dips also contribute to sodium intake

What are examples of low sodium foods?

Fruits & vegetables
Whole grains
Meats w/o sauces
Unprocessed foods

What are the functions of potassium?

Maintaining water balance
Nerve impulse transmission
Principal positively charged intracellular ion
Increasing potassium intake can help lower blood pressure → 90% absorbed
Low blood levels from chronic diarrhea, vomiting, laxative abuse is life threatening problem

List three strong sources of dietary potassium?

Unprocessed foods
Fruits, vegetables, milk, whole grains, dried beans, meats
Major contributors in the diet include
Milk, potatoes, beef, coffee, tomatoes, orange juice, bananas

Who is at risk for potassium deficiency?

People with eating disorders, low food intake, vomiting, and laxative use make potassium depletion and hypokalemia a common and very serious problem
those with alcoholism usually have poor diets and lack potassium
athletes who exercise heavily may lose extra K in their sweat

Who is at risk for high blood potassium levels?

those who have poor kidney function → potassium builds up in the blood and can cause an irregular heartbeat and even cardiac arrest