Potassium plays a vital role in maintaining good health. It helps maintain the correct balance of water in the body, aids enzymes to function properly and supports nerve function and muscle contraction. Having too low of a level of potassium in the body, or hypokalemia, is a serious condition that requires treatment. Consult a physician if you experience the signs and symptoms of low potassium.
Weakness
When the level of potassium in the body gets too low, the cells cannot function properly. That can lead to an overall sense of weakness and fatigue, according to the Mayo Clinic. Potassium levels can drop when you are dealing with an illness that causes diarrhea or vomiting or when you are severely restricting caloric intake. The levels also can drop during excessive sweating, when kidney disease is present or when you're using laxatives or diuretics. If signs of a potassium deficiency occur, a physician can order a blood test to check levels.
Abnormal Heart Rhythm
Since potassium plays a role in both nerve and muscle function. If the body does not have enough, the heart may not be able to pump correctly. This can lead to abnormal heart rhythms called arrhythmias, warns the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.
Other symptoms can include a racing heartbeat and palpitations. In severe cases, a deficiency in potassium can lead to cardiac arrest. You can treat mild cases by increasing potassium intake through bananas, baked potatoes, orange juice or plums, or by taking supplements. More severe cases require hospitalization, which could include intravenous infusions of potassium.
Muscle Cramps
When not enough potassium is available, the muscles cannot contract properly. This can lead to muscle pain, cramping and spasms. If potassium levels drop dangerously low, muscle fibers can break down and be released into the bloodstream, causing a condition called rhabdomyolysis. This can contribute to kidney disease or kidney failure.
Certain medications can cause low potassium levels as a side effect. So can consuming large amounts of licorice or herbal teas and chewing tobacco that contains licorice.
Constipation
Low potassium levels can hinder or even paralyze the muscles of the intestines or digestive system. This can lead to many symptoms such as bloating, constipation and stomach pain, according to the Linus Pauling Institute. Since potassium is readily available in many foods, a dietary deficiency is rare except in patients with eating disorders. Since too much potassium consumption can be toxic, take supplements only under a doctor's supervision.
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