Potassium is a mineral that is essential for your health. Potassium is an electrolyte -- a mineral that carries an electric charge through your body -- that is necessary for your nerves to respond to stimulation and for the contraction of muscles, including your heart. Potassium is also required for the building of muscles in your body, as well as overall normal body growth and maintenance.
Potential Causes
Hypokalemia is usually caused by the loss of excessive amounts of potassium through urination, but other reasons include diuretics or water pills, vomiting, diarrhea, excessive sweating, chronic kidney failure and eating disorders. Certain antibiotics -- including carbenicillin and gentamicin -- may also contribute to hypokalemia. There are diseases that directly affect the kidney's ability to hold on to potassium, including Cushing's syndrome and primary aldosteronism, that can contribute to hypokalemia.
Symptoms
Small drops in your body's level of potassium may not cause any symptoms, but a large, quick drop may endanger your life. As potassium is necessary for the proper function of your heart, a symptom of hypokalemia could be abnormal heart rhythms, especially if you have heart disease. A serious symptom of hypokalemia is paralysis that can spread to the lungs. Other symptoms include feelings of general weakness and fatigue, along with muscle weakness or spasms and constipation.
Treatment
If you believe you are experiencing hypokalemia, visit your doctor. Hypokalemia is usually diagnosed through blood tests, and treatment usually focuses on the underlying reason why your body lost excessive potassium. Treatment may include switching diuretics or medications, or beginning treatment for a previously undiagnosed condition. Severe cases of hypokalemia may require intravenous potassium, while mild cases may be treated by taking potassium supplements. Talk to your doctor before beginning potassium supplements.
Foods with Potassium
One way to prevent mild hypokalemia is to eat a diet rich in potassium. Potassium-rich fruits include dried apricots, bananas, papaya and cantaloupe. Vegetables high in potassium include tomato paste and puree, sweet potatoes, kidney beans, white potatoes and broccoli. Yogurt and skim milk are good dairy sources of potassium, and red meat, chicken, salmon, sardines and soy products are potassium-rich protein sources. If you have concerns about your diet and hypoklemia, talk to your doctor or dietitian for guidance in planning a healthy diet.
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