Potassium is a mineral your body relies upon to function properly. Potassium circulates through your blood, maintaining the normal functioning of your heart and muscle cells. Normal blood potassium levels are between 3.6 and 4.8 mEq/L. If your levels dip below 2.5 mEq/L, you may begin to experience serious adverse symptoms, including muscle cramping and weakness.
Potassium-Sodium Pump
Potassium is the major electrolyte inside your cells while sodium is the major electrolyte outside your cells. Your muscle cells work via a process called depolarization, where potassium and sodium exchange positions, which creates an electrical charge. As the potassium flows back in, the charge stimulates the muscle fiber to move. This happens very quickly and is responsible for muscle movements and nerve impulses that transfer messages from your nerves to your brain.
Hypokalemia
When you experience low potassium levels -- a condition known as hypokalemia -- your body does not have enough potassium to produce the electrical reaction. Without enough potassium, your muscles may start twitching uncontrollably because they do not have enough potassium to complete the electrical reaction. This condition can be harmful because your heart consists of muscle, too. Without enough potassium, it may not be able to beat normally.
Causes
Not all muscle spasms are the result of low potassium levels. Overworking your muscles, lack of water, sodium loss or other dietary imbalances can lead to muscle spasms as well. However, muscle spasms related to hypokalemia often are a sign of an underlying medical condition. This includes kidney failure, diarrhea or excessive vomiting. Taking diuretics can contribute to potassium loss as well. You also can lose potassium via your sweat while exercising, which results in muscle cramping. Muscle cramping due to lost potassium while exercising can occur when you have exercised in excess of an hour or in very high temperatures.
Solution
When you experience muscle cramping, you can eat foods that contain potassium to help restore your levels. This includes bananas, bran, granola, lima beans, milk, peaches, peanut butter, tomatoes or peas. If you are prone to potassium-related muscle cramping, eating these foods regularly can help you to prevent future concerns. If your potassium levels dip severely low and you experience symptoms like an abnormal heartbeat, you may need to seek medical attention. Your physician can begin a potassium drip to quickly restore potassium levels in your body. If you have a more serious condition, your physician may initiate treatments.
References
- MayoClinic.com; Low Potassium (Hypokalemia); August 2009
- PubMed Health; Hypokalemia; August 2009
- "The New York Times"; A Long-Running Mystery, the Common Cramp; Gina Kolata; February 2008
- Colorado State University; Potassium and Health; J. Anderson, et al.; August 2008
- University of California at San Diego; Muscle Physiology; January 2006
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