Potassium is one of several dietary minerals that everyone requires in regular amounts to stay healthy. Because your body cannot produce potassium on its own, you have to get it from the food you eat or from vitamin and mineral supplements. As potassium is essential to so many vital chemical reactions within your body, failure to get enough of it can result in several negative effects, such as fatigue, weakness and fainting.
Function of Potassium
Potassium, besides being one of the key minerals that your body needs to function properly, is also an electrolyte, the University of Maryland Medical Center explains. Along with other minerals such as calcium, magnesium and chloride, potassium is used to conduct electricity throughout your body; this is critical for maintaining a regular heartbeat and ensuring normal muscular contractions. In fact, all of your tissues and internal organs depend on tight regulation of the amount of potassium that surrounds your cells. This is why too much or too little potassium can result in various health problems and negative symptoms.
Hypokalemia
Hypokalemia is the formal medical term for a lower-than-normal potassium level in the blood. Normally, your kidneys regulate your potassium level and filter out excess amounts through your urine. Hypokalemia is a metabolic disorder that occurs when too much potassium leaves your system. There are several possible causes, such as antibiotic medications, diarrhea, vomiting, sweating, magnesium deficiency, eating disorders, diuretic medications, congestive heart failure, alcoholism, and diseases that impair the kidneys’ capacity to retain potassium, such as Cushing syndrome, hyperaldosteronism and Liddle syndrome.
Potassium and Fainting
When there is only a small drop in your potassium level, you may not notice any symptoms. However, severe cases of hypokalemia can result in several symptoms and may even be life-threatening, the Linus Pauling Institute cautions. Fainting is a possible effect, along with constipation and muscle spasms or damage. You may also experience a general feeling of fatigue and lightheadedness. More serious symptoms include abnormal heart rhythms, or heart arrhythmia, and muscular paralysis; these may be fatal if not treated immediately.
Dietary Sources
Getting enough potassium and avoiding the effects of hypokalemia is relatively simple, as there are many foods that contain this essential mineral, MedlinePlus explains. All forms of meat and fish such as sardines, salmon, cod and flounder are good sources of potassium. Fruits such as cantaloupes, bananas, kiwis, apricots and citrus fruits also contain plenty of potassium. Other sources include milk, yogurt, and vegetables such as broccoli, potatoes, tomatoes and lima beans. However, if you are on dialysis due to kidney therapy, you should limit your consumption of foods such as meats, poultry, cheese and nuts, as the sodium and saturated fat can interfere with your treatment. Your potassium will have to come from alternative sources.
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