Potassium is a mineral your body needs for nerve and muscle cells to function properly. Therefore, not having enough potassium in your body --- a condition known as hypokalemia --- can cause serious health problems. Hypokalemia, can have several causes. However, treatment is simple and effective for most cases. Consult your doctor before beginning any treatment for low potassium, or if symptoms persist.
Definition
You should normally have a potassium level between 3.6 and 4.8 milliequivalents per liter, the Mayo Clinic reports. Most of the potassium in your body is found throughout your cells and organs, with only a small amount in the blood. Your body balances the potassium level in blood by releasing the same amount of potassium that your kidneys excrete. If too much is removed, your body's stores are depleted and hypokalemia ensues.
Causes
Hypokalemia has many causes. The most common is excessive amounts of potassium lost through the urine or digestive tract. This can be the result of vomiting, diarrhea, eating disorders, kidney failure, laxatives or certain diuretics. Diseases that affect the kidney can also cause hypokalemia. These diseases, including Liddle's syndrome, Cushing's syndrome, Fanconi syndrome and Bartter syndrome, cause the kidneys to excrete too much potassium. Finally, low potassium can be the result of simply not eating enough foods with potassium, although this is less likely.
Symptoms
Minor potassium drops are not usually harmful. However, a severe decrease can be life-threatening. Symptoms can range from fatigue, cramping and muscle weakness to the breakdown of muscle fibers and even flaccid paralysis or limpness. Hypokalemia can also cause an irregular heartbeat. If the irregular heartbeat is severe, it can cause cardiac arrest and paralysis of the lungs.
Treatment
Hypokalemia is diagnosed through a blood test. If you are given a diagnosis of hypokalemia, it can usually be treated simply by getting more potassium in your diet. This can include high-potassium foods such as bananas, oranges, tomatoes and other leafy green vegetables, electrolyte-replacement fluids like sports drinks, or potassium supplements. Severe cases of hypokalemia may need to be treated at the hospital with intravenous potassium.
Monitoring
If you know that you have a disease that affects kidney function, or are taking diuretic drugs that increase potassium release from the body, it is important that you monitor your potassium levels and make sure that you are eating high-potassium foods consistently. If your child is suffering from chronic vomiting or diarrhea, consult your doctor immediately for proper treatment.
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