Potassium is a necessary mineral and electrolyte for the body. The Linus Pauling Institute defines an electrolyte as "a substance that dissociates into ions (charged particles) in solution, making it capable of conducting electricity." Therefore, potassium functions to conduct electricity, or nerve signals, in your body. These nerve signals help your body move, the heart to beat, tell you how to react to pain and many other functions. Sometimes a person may have too much potassium in the body, a condition known as hyperkalemia, or too little potassium in the body, a condition known as hypokalemia.
Function
According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, potassium is essential for the contraction of both smooth and skeletal muscles. Other functions of potassium include maintaining the balance between acids and bases in the body, creating proteins from amino acids, breaking down carbohydrates, muscle growth and regulation of the electrical conduction of the heart, notes Medline Plus. The heart needs potassium to beat properly or an abnormal beating of the heart called an arrhythmia can ensue.
Causes of Potassium Imbalance
According to the Merck Manual, elevated levels of potassium can be due to dehydration, certain medications, excessive intake of potassium either through diet or supplements, diabetes, blood transfusions, infections, tissue injury, adrenal insufficiency, kidney failure or exercise. Possible causes of low potassium include vomiting, diarrhea, diuretics, chronic abuse of laxatives, hyperaldosteronism or inadequate intake of potassium.
Signs and Symptoms
Most people with elevated levels of potassium do not have any symptoms until the heart is affected, in which arrhythmias can occur. Those with slightly deficient levels of potassium typically have no symptoms. Potassium levels of less than 3 milli-equivalents per liter, or mEq/L, manifest as weakness, muscle cramps, muscle twitching, paralysis of the intestinal muscles, low blood pressure and hypoventilation. Prolonged hypokalemia can damage the kidneys and result in increased frequency of urination and thirst.
Recommended Intake
The Linus Pauling Institute recommends that males and females over the age of 19 consume 4,700 milligrams a day (mg/day). Females that are breast-feeding, however, need 5,100 mg/day.
Food Sources
Some good sources of potassium include cod, flounder, salmon, sardines, soy, peas, broccoli, lima beans, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, potatoes, cantaloupe, kiwi, citrus fruits, bananas, apricots, prunes, yogurt, milk and nuts.
Warning
The Linus Pauling Institute notes that several medications can cause hyperkalemia or hypokalemia. Medications that are linked to elevation of potassium include angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors, potassium-sparing medications, heparin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories, digitalis, angiotensin receptor blockers, alpha-blockers and beta-blockers. Medications that may lower potassium include diuretics, epinephrine, bronchodilators, decongestants, tocolytics, high doses of glucocorticoids, fludrocortisone, caffeine, sodium polystyrene sulfonate, phenolphthalein, penicillin, carbenicillin and nafcillin.
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