Potassium is a type of essential mineral known as an electrolyte that conducts electricity through your body. Potassium maintains the body's chemical and electrical processes, including metabolizing carbohydrates, synthesizing amino acids into proteins that your body can use, facilitating muscle growth and controlling your heart's electrical activity. The proper functioning of your cells and organs depends upon correct potassium levels, and too much or too little potassium can cause serious health problems.
Healthy Levels of Potassium
Too much potassium in the blood causes hyperkalemia, which occurs if your body 's total level of potassium increases or the cells in your body release too much potassium into your bloodstream. According to the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University, a diet that supplies at least 4.7 g of potassium per day decreases the risk of stroke, hypertension, osteoporosis, kidney stones and chronic disease. Adults should not take potassium supplements unless prescribed by a doctor. Children should never take potassium supplements unless supervised by a pediatrician.
Potassium in Your Diet
The foods that contain some of the highest sources of potassium include sweet potatoes, potatoes, white beans, orange juice, dates, tomatoes, raisins, bananas, almonds and sunflower seeds. Because so many foods contain potassium, inadequate diet rarely results in potassium deficiency. Potassium deficiency usually occurs when a medication or medical condition causes loss of potassium. Use of diuretics, bronchodilators, epinephrine, laxatives and some antibiotics can deplete your potassium blood levels. Medical conditions such as anorexia, bulimia, alcoholism and congestive heart failure increase your risk of potassium deficiency. Excessive dietary sodium increases potassium requirements, leading to potassium deficiency even if you consume enough in your diet. Overall, if you eat a moderately healthy diet, you likely consume plenty of potassium, and if your body is healthy, you are likely to metabolize potassium efficiently.
Symptoms of Potassium Toxicity
Hyperkalemia often exhibits no symptoms, but might manifest as irregular heartbeats, nausea, weak pulse, muscle fatigue, weakness or paralysis. If untreated, potassium toxicity can cause a heart attack. Because potassium toxicity might exhibit no symptoms, a blood test or other diagnostic test unrelated to hyperkalemia often will indicate high levels of potassium.
Causes of Potassium Toxicity
Medications and medical conditions can cause potassium levels to rise. Medications that can adversely interact with potassium to cause potassium toxicity include NSAIDS, ACE inhibiters, anticoagulents, some antibiotics and beta-blockers. Potassium toxicity commonly results from a kidney disorder, which impairs the kidney's ability to rid the body of excess potassium. Tissue injury, such as burns, tumors, trauma and surgery, can cause the body to release excessive amounts of potassium into the blood.
Treatment of Potassium Overdose
If taking medications, your doctor might alter your doses or change your medications to bring your hyperkalemia under control. Severe cases of potassium toxicity might require aggressive treatment such as dialysis or medications that immediately reduce potassium levels in your blood. Long-term treatment focuses on diagnosing and treating the cause of the potassium toxicity.
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