What happens if there is a lack or excess of potassium?

Potassium is found in foods and acts as an electrolyte that helps conduct electrical impulses throughout the body. This mineral is involved in supporting many essential functions, including regulating blood pressure, maintaining fluid balance, helping muscles contract normally, transmitting nerve impulses, supporting digestion, stabilizing heart rate and maintaining pH balance in the body.

The US National Institutes of Health recommends the following daily potassium intake:

Healthy kidneys help maintain stable potassium levels by eliminating excess amounts through urine. The body does not produce potassium on its own, so each person needs to supplement according to recommended needs. Potassium deficiency can cause serious health problems, while excess potassium also poses risks for short-term or long-term health effects.

Potassium deficiency

Certain conditions can lead to potassium deficiency (hypokalemia) such as kidney disease, overuse of diuretics, excessive sweating, diarrhea, vomiting, magnesium deficiency, or use of certain antibiotics.

Symptoms of hypokalemia depend on the degree of deficiency. Mild, temporary hypokalemia may not cause obvious symptoms. For example, after heavy sweating from intense exercise, potassium levels are often restored with food or electrolyte supplementation. In contrast, severe potassium deficiency can be life-threatening, with signs such as severe fatigue, muscle spasms or weakness, cramps, heart rhythm disturbances, constipation, nausea or vomiting.

Hypokalemia is usually diagnosed with a blood test. In some cases, the doctor may prescribe additional appropriate methods.

Excess potassium

Too much potassium can lead to hyperkalemia, but this is rare in people with a balanced diet. The risk often increases with overdose of potassium supplements, kidney disease, prolonged exercise, use of potassium-sparing diuretics, chemotherapy, diabetes, or severe burns.

The obvious symptom of hyperkalemia is cardiac arrhythmia, which in severe cases can lead to death. People with mild hyperkalemia often have no obvious symptoms and should be monitored with periodic blood tests, especially when risk factors are present.

Treatment

Hypokalemia

Potassium supplementation is often the first treatment when blood levels are too low, and is especially effective in people with good kidney function. If hypokalemia is severe, especially if arrhythmia occurs, the patient may need intravenous potassium infusion.

In some situations, your doctor may prescribe potassium-sparing diuretics to help the body eliminate sodium and balance electrolytes. However, some diuretics and potassium supplements can cause side effects on the digestive system. Therefore, patients need to consult a doctor and use medication as directed.

Hyperkalemia

Mild cases of hyperkalemia are often treated with prescription medications that increase potassium excretion through the urine. Additionally, your doctor may prescribe diuretics or enemas to assist in removing excess potassium from the body. In severe cases, patients may need more intensive interventions.

Foods rich in potassium

Potassium-rich fruits include durian, guava, kiwi, melon, banana, grapefruit, avocado, and fresh apricots. Carrot, passion fruit, pomegranate, orange, and tangerine juices also provide plenty of potassium. Amaranth leaves, Swiss chard, baked potatoes with the skin (926 mg in a medium), pumpkin, spinach, kidney beans, lentils, and lime beans are also good sources of this mineral.