RE: Bananas (K-40)

["Björn Cedervall" <bjorn_cedervall@hotmail.com>]

>>increase their K levels rather than take some obnoxious tasting liquid
>>(K-lyte ???) 
>
>This is nonsense. The level of potassium is "hoemeostatic" controlled
>(whatever this is). This means, if you ingest more potassium, then >you 
excrete "at once" more, so that the absolut amount is always the >same.
>Since potassium is found mostly in muscles, the only way to increase 
>total potassium (not the concentration) in ones body is to gain >muscle 
weight.
In principle I assume that this is correct - if you have _enough_ 
potassium (too little may cause blood pressure problems). But if you 
always have "NaCl" in everything you eat (I think some of our hamburger 
restaurants use only NaCl - this is _my_ real worry...) and KCl (K+) you 
may run into a long term medical problem.
According to a friend of mine, there is a relation with less K-40 Bq
for women than for men and also less for elderly people compared to 
younger. This makes sense considering differences in muscle mass. I risk 
getting off-topic with the bananas - but as Bq occur in our debate - 
some of us have to explain the natural occurrence and perspective - so 
please don't be to mad at me for this. BTW: I just checked Melissa's 
valuable work: Thanks a lot. I am sure that this will have a tremendous 
longterm value (and perhaps even amusement: I found the Monkey Business 
by Mansfield doing "banana AND radioactive" -don't miss it!).

bjorn_cedervall@hotmail.com
Stockholm, Sweden


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