What is the primary function of potassium found in prunes regarding cardiovascular support?
Answer
Counteracting sodium effects by encouraging its excretion.
Potassium is an essential mineral supplied by prunes that plays a vital role in maintaining cardiovascular wellness, specifically through its influence on blood pressure regulation. Its mechanism of action involves directly counteracting the detrimental effects associated with high sodium intake, which is a major contributor to elevated blood pressure. Potassium facilitates this by promoting the excretion of sodium from the body, usually via the urinary system. By achieving this balance, potassium helps to signal the smooth muscle walls of the blood vessels to relax, leading to vasodilation, which subsequently results in a lowering of overall systemic blood pressure readings.
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