What Causes Potassium To Be Low? Symptoms And Home Remedies

Our body cells need minerals in the form of crucial food to meet a medley of functions, from forging materials for our bones, muscles, heart, and brain to making enzymes and hormones and to other biologically active tasks such as maintaining the body’s acid-base equilibrium, the body pH to neutral, nerve impulse transmission, and muscle contraction.

The seven vital minerals, or macro-minerals, include calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium, chloride, and sulfur. Other minerals called trace minerals (required in less quantity) also work as backups, such as iron, manganese, copper, iodine, zinc, cobalt, fluoride, and selenium.

Among the seven vital macro-minerals, most people naturally get an adequate daily potassium requirement from many foods. Potassium is an electrolyte that helps regulate blood and fluid levels. It further supports the proper functioning of the kidneys, heart, muscles, and nervous system.

 Potassium and Sodium are like two sides of the same coin since they work hand in hand. Potassium’s significant role in your body is to help maintain normal fluid levels inside your cells. At the same time, Sodium is assigned to aid the maintenance of normal fluid levels outside of cells. Further, potassium helps muscles contract and nurtures blood pressure to normal.

The potassium level in your body can drop low due to a low-potassium diet, excessive alcohol drinking, too much use of laxatives, constipation, dehydration, excessive sweating, fatigue, persistent vomiting, diarrhea, adrenal gland disorders, medication like diuretics or water pills, and particular prescription medicine, including antibiotics. If the potassium level in the blood is low, the condition is called hypokalemia.

The most common cause for hypokalemia is attributed to substantial potassium loss through urine owing to the use of prescription medication (generally for those who have high blood pressure or heart disease), such as diuretics or water pills, which induces an increase in urination.

If the level of potassium in the blood drops too low, it can lead to several serious complications. These include cramps, numbness or tingling, diabetic ketoacidosis, chronic kidney disease, abnormal heart rhythms or arrhythmia and in severe cases, muscle spasms to even paralysis and possibly respiratory failure. These potential health risks underscore the importance of maintaining a balanced potassium level in your body.

In cases of mild hypokalemia, typically, people barely show the symptoms. There is nothing to get alarmed about it, though. An average blood potassium level should stay at 3.6 to 5.2 millimoles per liter (mmol/L). A simple blood test on your healthcare provider’s advice can show your body’s potassium level. Your doctor may also ask you to take a urine test to determine if you’re losing potassium through your pee.

Hypokalemia, or dangerously low potassium level, can affect your kidneys if not addressed on time. You may frequently have to visit the bathroom and more often feel thirsty. However, there are loads of potassium-rich foods that can work wonders in mild cases of hypokalemia. By incorporating these foods into your diet, you can take proactive steps to boost your potassium level and maintain your health.

A recommended daily potassium intake for a healthy adult male is 3,400 mg. and 2,600 mg for females. This daily intake, when met consistently, can significantly contribute to maintaining a healthy potassium level in your body. By understanding and meeting this requirement, you can feel confident in your ability to manage your potassium intake and maintain your health.

Suppose you care a lot about eating a balanced diet with potassium-rich nutrients; in that case, the foods below can work wonders to achieve your goal and let food remedy your potassium deficiency issue. The good news is that the body absorbs about 85%–90% of potassium from your diet.

Potassium food

The recommended potassium-rich foods: 

The following juices are high in potassium: passion fruit juice, carrot juice, pomegranate juice, orange juice, prune juice, tomato juice, and vegetable juice. Even tea and coffee contain potassium.

Potassium, a macromineral, appears indispensable to maintaining good health. It safeguards kidneys, cardiovascular health, bone and muscle health, normal cell functioning, proper muscle and nerve mobility, protein synthesizing, and carbohydrate metabolism.

Also Read : The Top 10 Health Benefits Of Alkaline Foods

It’s important to note that always check with your doctor before you take any potassium supplements. This is because too much potassium might build up in your metabolism, leading to hyperkalemia. Remember, ‘Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.’ This oft-quoted phrase spoken by the father of modern medicine, Hippocrates, the ancient Greek physician, around 400 BC has never been more relevant.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in the above text are solely research-based, not medical advice; the author solicits reader discretion and cross-references or consulting a healthcare practitioner for further substantiation.