Potassium is a mineral vital to normal body functions, such as maintaining the balance of acid and water in body tissues, such as the muscles. While the average person has between 3.5 and 5.0 milliequivalents per liter of blood serum (mEq/L), a condition known as hyperkalemia can cause excessive amounts of potassium in the body. This can cause adverse symptoms, such as nausea, pulse weakness or irregular heartbeat, in the body. If you suffer from hyperkalemia or similar symptoms associated with elevated levels of potassium, try these tips to naturally lower potassium.
Step 1
Limit the amounts of food containing potassium that you consume throughout the course of a day. Foods with the highest levels of potassium include apples, bananas, Brazil nuts, figs, honeydew melon, orange juice, peanuts, squash, wheat bread, salmon, prunes, spinach and broccoli.
Step 2
Assess the vitamin supplements you currently are taking. If you take several multivitamins or other specialty vitamins, it is possible that these contain potassium amounts that are too high in number. Check the vitamin labels and cease taking all vitamins until excessive potassium symptoms decrease.
Step 3
Exercise, and be sure to work up a sweat. Because potassium is an electrolyte, sweat releases these electrolytes from the body.
Step 4
Cook, boil or soak your vegetables or fruits in water. This may help to reduce potassium levels as much as half as the water draws potassium out of foods. Discard the water before consuming the food.
Step 5
Increase your calcium intake, as calcium is connected with lowering potassium levels in the body. Be sure to choose low-fat calcium sources, such as yogurt, milk or cheeses. Garlic is another naturally potassium-lowering substance. Incorporate a garlic supplement or add garlic into your diet.
Tips and Warnings
- Low-potassium food choices include plain bagels, white rice, blueberries, cauliflower, cucumbers, sour cream or non-dairy creamers.
- While an excess of potassium can be damaging to the body, extremely low levels of potassium also can cause health problems. If you're unsure of how to properly reduce or monitor levels, consult a physician in order to adopt the best treatment regimen.
