Heavy sweating can lead to a low level of potassium in your blood. When your level becomes low for an extended period of time, you can be diagnosed with hypokalemia, which is the clinical term for low blood potassium. To counteract this loss of potassium, you should consume a diet that satisfies the adequate daily intake of potassium.
Recommended Intake
The adequate intake is the level that nutritionists have determined is optimal for your body to function properly. The current adequate intake, or AI, for potassium is 4,700 mg per day for adult men and women. If you are a woman who is breastfeeding, you need 5,100 mg. Children under the age of 13 require less, with an AI requirement of 3,800 mg. The ideal way to meet the AI for potassium is to eat a balanced diet that contains a variety of foods high in the essential vitamins and minerals.
Food Sources
Potassium is found in many different foods. It is best to choose a variety of foods such as fruits, vegetables, lean meats, nuts and seeds, because these foods are high in the essential vitamins and other healthy nutrients. Some examples of good potassium sources include broccoli, citrus fruits, yogurt, lima beans, tomatoes, salmon, cod and red meats. If you do not eat a diet that contains these foods, a good multivitamin that also contains minerals such as potassium can be added to your diet to fill in the gaps.
Importance of Normal Potassium Levels
It is very important that you get the adequate intake of potassium each day if you sweat a lot. Potassium is an important macro-mineral that helps your body regulate your fluids, your acid-base balance and the electrical activity of your heart. It also helps your metabolism and is essential in the growth of your body, especially muscle growth. A loss of potassium from heavy sweating or other causes can lead to symptoms of fatigue, muscle spasms, muscle soreness, abnormal heart rhythms, constipation and the breakdown of muscle fibers in your body.
Considerations
Potassium loss can occur from a variety of causes in addition to prolonged sweating. These causes include excessive vomiting, diarrhea, antibiotic use and kidney disease. To avoid symptoms consume the AI of potassium each day and contact your doctor if your symptoms persist. If you are not sure what your potassium levels are and you have symptoms of hypokalemia, ask your doctor about getting your blood levels evaluated.
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