Potassium, an essential mineral, functions as an electrolyte, along with sodium, to regulate the balance of water in the body. Potassium also plays a key role in muscle contractions, making it important for digestion and heart and skeletal-muscle function. Doctors recommend getting 4.7 grams of potassium per day in a healthy diet that includes meats, fish such as salmon, fruits, vegetables and legumes, according to Colorado State University. A potassium deficiency, a potentially life-threatening condition known as hypokalemia, usually occurs because of conditions that cause the body to lose too much potassium, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Diabetes
Diabetes, a condition characterized by a decrease in insulin --- a hormone produced by the pancreas ---causes an increase in the level of sugar, or glucose, in the blood. Diabetics must closely monitor their insulin to control the sugar in their blood. Insulin also affects potassium levels by increasing the ability of cells to absorb the mineral. A sudden influx of insulin can cause a significant drop in potassium in the blood, as described by Colorado State University.
Malabsorption Syndromes
The body absorbs most vitamins and minerals from food through the lining of the small intestine. Conditions such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, both classified as inflammatory bowel diseases, cause inflammation of the intestines that interferes with the absorption of nutrients. More than a million people in the United States suffer from one of the inflammatory bowel diseases, according to the American College of Gastroenterology. Both Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis cause chronic and often severe diarrhea, which results in a potassium deficiency.
Dehydration
Dehydration describes a condition that occurs when the body does not have enough fluids. Strenuous exercise leading to excessive sweating can cause dehydration and subsequent potassium deficiency, because potassium is excreted in the sweat. Vomiting and diarrhea can also cause a loss of fluids and lead to a potassium deficiency.
Medications
Taking certain medications can also cause the body to excrete too much potassium. Diuretics, a class of medications commonly prescribed for high blood pressure and congestive heart failure, stimulate the kidney to excrete more sodium in the urine. The sodium that enters the urine pulls more water from the blood, therefore decreasing the volume of blood. The loss of sodium and water can cause additional potassium to be lost, leading to a potassium deficiency. Other medications that may decrease potassium levels include corticosteroids such as prednisone, beta-adrenergic agonists such as isoproterenol and alpha-adrenergic antagonists such as clonidine.
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