Diabetes is a medical condition in which your body cannot produce or is unable to use the hormone insulin. According to Mayo Clinic, insulin is the hormone that your body uses to process glucose, which is the sugar the body's cells use as its main source of energy. High glucose levels can be measured in your blood and urine. Diabetes causes many complications, including problems with potassium levels in your body.
Considerations
Potassium is an electrolyte, a positively charged molecule, important in muscle function, heart rhythm, conduction of signals from the brain, and your body's fluid balance. According to Lab Tests Online, 98 percent of the potassium in your body is in its cells, so abnormalities in the small amount of potassium in the blood can result in significant health problems.
Features
Diabetes and its treatment can cause significant fluctuations in your potassium level. Uncontrolled type-1 diabetes, when your body produces almost no insulin, can cause diabetic ketoacidosis. According to the Merck Manual for Diabetes Mellitus, in diabetic ketoacidosis, the body starts breaking down fat for energy, since it cannot use the glucose. The byproduct of fat breakdown, ketones, makes your blood acidic, increasing the level of potassium in the blood.
Effects
High potassium levels can have few, if any, symptoms initially. According to the Merck Manual, as the potassium level increases, it can cause nausea and vomiting, dehydration, muscle weakness and fatigue. Too much potassium can also increase dangerous heart rhythm abnormalities, including ventricular fibrillation, an abnormal quivering of the heart that impairs its ability to pump blood to the body and which, if untreated, can be fatal.
Prevention/Solution
According to the Merck Manual, the best way to prevent abnormal fluctuations of potassium in people with diabetes is to frequently monitor blood sugar levels, and to maintain appropriate levels with a balanced diet, exercise and, if necessary, the use of glucose-lowering medicines. Also, if you have advanced diabetes and have developed kidney disease, it may be important to decrease the potassium content in your diet. Always consult with your doctor before you change any aspect of your diet.
Warning
Aggressive treatment of diabetic ketoacidosis can drive potassium back into the cells and rapidly decrease its level. Low potassium in the blood can cause muscle cramps, paralysis and a rapid breakdown of the muscle cells. The dose of insulin you require may change over time, but it is important to increase or decrease the dose only when your doctor orders the change.
