Potassium is an electrolyte that sends electrical signals to power your cells, organs and tissues. Muscles, for example, cannot move without an adequate potassium supply. The nutrient is widely available in foods, making a deficiency an unusual condition often linked to another health problem. When your body becomes depleted of the mineral, your doctor may prescribe potassium supplements, commonly used to raise nutrient levels back to normal. Do not supplement potassium without a medical recommendation.
About Hypokalemia
Hypokalemia is the medical term for low potassium. Poor nutrition may lead to it, but it is not a common cause in the United States. Health problems involving fluid loss, such as excessive vomiting, diarrhea or sweating, are usual culprits. Potassium depletion can also be a side effect of antibiotics or diuretics, or be linked to a magnesium deficiency. Certain syndromes -- Cushing, Liddle, Fanconi and Bartter -- impair your kidneys’ ability to retain potassium as they remove impurities from your blood.
Hypokalemia Symptoms
Hypokalemia manifests mainly as muscular problems. You may become constipated, for instance, because the intestines, which are smooth muscles, cannot contract. Weakness in the muscles surrounding your skeleton can impair your ability to move. The heart, another smooth muscle, might start beating out of rhythm when you have too little potassium. Your lungs could also become paralyzed. Hypokalemia is a potentially fatal condition.
Taking Potassium
When medical tests confirm a deficiency, your doctor determines the type of potassium you should take and how much of it you need to correct the problem. In general, adults require 2 grams of potassium daily. AHFS Consumer Medication Information, published on the PubMed Health website, also says the daily dosage is divided into two to four doses throughout the day. Take potassium with a meal or right after you finish eating unless your doctor gives you different instructions.
Potential Side Effects
Even though potassium is available over the counter, it is not free of risks. The supplement may cause gastrointestinal problems, cognitive impairment and muscle dysfunction, compromising your ability to walk and creating physical discomfort. Your stool might turn black and your skin pale or gray. Bloating is also possible. Contact your doctor as soon as you experience any of those symptoms or feel unwell in any manner after taking potassium.
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