The diarrhea and vomiting caused by Crohn's disease can deplete your body of potassium. Potassium is a mineral and electrolyte that plays vital roles in heart, nerve and muscle function. Crohn's disease, an inflammatory bowel disorder that affects your small intestine's ability to absorb vitamins and minerals from food, puts you at risk for a potassium deficiency. To prevent the complications of potassium loss, your health-care provider may recommend dietary supplements of this essential mineral.
Significance
The chronic intestinal inflammation of Crohn's disease can damage the lining of your small intestine, which absorbs many of the nutrients in the foods you eat. Damage to your small intestine may result in a partial digestion of foods. When your large intestine can't process digestive materials and fluids thoroughly, your body expels them as diarrhea. Essential nutrients, including fats, protein, carbohydrates and potassium, may pass through your system unabsorbed. Potassium regulates your fluid balance and blood pressure and contributes to healthy heart and nerve function. Crohn's disease increases your risk of mineral deficiencies, including hypokalemia, or low potassium, according to the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America, or CCFA.
Complications
In addition to diarrhea and vomiting, the medications used to treat Crohn's disease may cause hypokalemia, according to the CCFA. Prednisone, a steroid drug frequently used to reduce the intestinal inflammation of Crohn's, may cause potassium loss. Hypokalemia may cause fatigue, weakness, muscle cramps and heartbeat irregularities. An imbalance of potassium may upset the balance of other electrolytes in your system, such as magnesium and sodium.
Dietary Sources
According to the Institute of Medicine, adults should get 4.7g of potassium per day to lower blood pressure, reduce sensitivity to sodium and prevent bone loss. Many vegetables, fruit and meats contain potassium, including bananas, oranges, tomatoes, potatoes, legumes, avocados, cantaloupe, chicken, salmon and other fish. Eating bananas and potatoes, which contain starches that absorb liquid from stools, may help solidify diarrhea while replacing potassium. Electrolyte replacement drinks may also help replenish potassium.
Supplementation
If a diminished appetite, weakness or abdominal pain may make it difficult for you to eat enough potassium-rich foods to meet your daily requirements, your health-care provider may recommend oral potassium supplements to prevent the complications of hypokalemia. Your provider can monitor your potassium level using diagnostic blood tests. Because potassium supplements may interact with other medications and can have serious effects on heart and kidney function, you should not take more than the prescribed amount or take potassium without medical supervision.
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