Final answer:
The statement is true; both excessive and insufficient potassium levels can cause serious health issues. Hyperkalemia can lead to fatal heart problems, while hypokalemia results in growth issues and muscle weakness.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement 'Too much potassium can be more dangerous than too little potassium' is true. Potassium is vital for cellular function, with normal concentrations being about 30 times higher inside cells than outside. However, too much potassium in the blood, a condition called hyperkalemia, can lead to serious health issues.
Hyperkalemia can result from excessive dietary intake of potassium, with the mineral ending up in the extracellular fluid (ECF) in abnormally high concentrations. This can cause partial depolarization of plasma membranes in muscle fibers, neurons, and heart cells, which impairs their function. For the heart, this means an inability to relax after a contraction, which can be fatal as it may stop pumping blood.
On the other hand, low potassium levels, or hypokalemia, can lead to slow growth, sterility, muscle weakness, and slow heart rate. This suggests that a balance of potassium is essential for health, with both hypokalemia and hyperkalemia having dangerous health implications.