2 Answers

It is a mineral.

Potassium is a very important mineral  for the proper function of all cells, tissues, and organs in the human body. It  is also an electrolyte, a substance that conducts electricity in the body, along  with sodium, chloride, calcium, and magnesium. Potassium is crucial to heart  function and plays a key role in skeletal and smooth muscle contraction, making  it important for normal digestive and muscular function. Many foods contain  potassium, including all meats, some types of fish (such as salmon, cod, and  flounder), and many fruits, vegetables, and legumes. Dairy products are also  good sources of potassium.

Having too much potassium in the blood  is called hyperkalemia; having too little is known as hypokalemia. Keeping the  right potassium balance in the body depends on the amount of sodium and  magnesium in the blood. Too much sodium -- common in Western diets that use a  lot of salt -- may increase the need for potassium. Diarrhea, vomiting,  excessive sweating, malnutrition, malabsorption syndromes (such as Crohn's  disease) can also cause potassium deficiency, as well as use of a kind of heart  medicine called loop diuretics.

Read more: http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/potassium-000320.htm#ixzz1sIap9lca

It is a chemical element.

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