Potassium is an essential mineral that can be found in many foods, including bananas, avocados, lima beans, potatoes, flounder, chicken, salmon, cod and other meats. If your potassium levels get too low, you can develop a condition known as hypokalemia, which affects your nerves and muscles.
Potassium in the Body
Potassium salts are important electrolytes for the body because when dissolved in water they dissociate into potassium ions that carry a positive electrical charge. Electrolytes are necessary for all cells, because they conduct electrical currents via osmotic gradients, which determine the levels of electrolytes inside and outside the cell, controlling many physiological functions. Potassium is an electrolyte especially important to the proper functioning of nerve and muscle cells.
Hypokalemia Symptoms
Mild hypokalemia usually doesn't cause any symptoms, the Merck Manual notes. On the other hand, if your blood potassium levels drop below 3 mEq per L, you may develop muscle weakness, cramping, tetany and twitching. Hypokalemia can also paralyze your respiratory muscles, causing you to breathe more slowly, which potentially can progress to respiratory failure. You may also develop an abnormal heart rhythm, which can be seen on a test known as an electrocardiogram or ECG.
Causes
Unusually low potassium levels are rarely the result of too little potassium in your diet, MayoClinic.com explains. Instead, hypokalemia is typically the result of the kidneys eliminating too much potassium. This can happen if you take diuretics, which can cause you to lose potassium through your urine. Similarly, kidney disease can cause you to excrete too much potassium in your urine. Chronic diarrhea, vomiting and laxative use can also deplete your potassium, as can a condition known as primary aldosteronism.
Treatment
Because unusually low levels of potassium can lead to respiratory failure or heart problems, it is important to treat hypokalemia immediately. If your hypokalemia is fairly mild and your heart is still beating with a normal rhythm, you can take oral potassium supplements to raise your potassium levels while doctors determine the cause of your potassium loss. If you have an abnormal ECG, doctors may give you intravenous potassium to correct your potassium levels more quickly.
Member Comments