Your immune system plays an important role in protecting your body from disease and illness. Autoimmune disorders occur when the immune system mistakenly identifies your body's cells as harmful threats. One type of autoimmune disease that damages the adrenal glands can affect the way your body regulates and controls the levels of sodium and potassium in your blood stream.
Potassium
Potassium is a mineral that supports the proper function of all of your organs and cells. Once in your body, potassium acts as an electrolyte, conducting electricity within your tissues. Your muscles, including your heart muscle, the smooth muscles of your digestive tract and your skeletal muscles require potassium to contract and relax properly. Although potassium is necessary component of optimal health, taking this vitamin is not a standard or customary treatment for immune system disorders. Too much potassium can cause hyperkalemia, a condition most common in older people with poor kidney function.
Immune System Disorder
Addison's disease is a condition that occurs when your adrenal gland fails to produce enough cortisol. An autoimmune response is a common cause of Addison's disease, although heredity, infection and certain medications may increase your risk of developing this disease. Cortisol helps control how your immune system functions and helps suppress inflammatory reactions. Addison's disease also causes your adrenal glands to produce insufficient amounts of the hormone aldosterone. This steroid hormone controls the level of potassium in your body, leading to an elevated amount of this mineral in your bloodstream.
Symptoms
Insufficient amounts of adrenal hormones cause an increase in the ratio of potassium to sodium, throwing off the electrolyte balance within your blood. Symptoms of Addison's disease include weight loss, dehydration, salt cravings, vomiting, intolerance to cold, rapid pulse and weakness. Without proper treatment, this autoimmune disease may cause kidney failure and shock.
Precautions
Discuss vitamin and mineral supplementation with your doctor, especially if you have an autoimmune disease such as Addison's disease. Taking too much potassium can increase your risk of nausea, diarrhea, muscle weakness and abnormal heart rhythm. In addition to Addison's disease, some medications can cause an increase in your potassium levels. These medications include certain anti-inflammatory drugs, beta-blockers and ACE inhibitors. If your potassium blood levels are too high, your doctor may prescribe a medication to lower the potassium and help to regulate the electrolytes in your bloodstream.
