Summary

• Potassium and chloride are both essential for the production of gastric acid, and play an important role in digestive function
• Sulfur compounds are involved in phase II detoxification (conjugation), where they render metabolites more water-soluble, thereby inactivating them and facilitating their excretion in the bile, faeces or urine
• Sodium is required for bile production, and is incorporated into the conjugation products of several bile salts
• Sodium, potassium and chloride are involved in the regulation of water balance
• Potassium acts with extracellular sodium to maintain normal osmotic pressure and influences the ability of the kidney to correct imbalances with the excretion process
• The status of chloride channels influences the uptake or loss of water by cells, and hence the regulation of cell volume
• In the extracellular matrix, sulfated proteoglycans have a strong negative charge attracting cations such as sodium, which in turn attracts water and provides hydration to connective tissue mesh and maintains its integrity
• Sulfate is a structural component of many glycosaminoglycans, proteoglycans, glycolipids and glycoproteins and as such, is a stabiliser of connective tissue and contributes to its strength, elasticity and hydration
• Sulfated glycosaminoglycan production is important in injury and wound repair
• The polysaccharides associated with glycoproteins and glycolipids on the cell surface are often associated with potassium