Electrical impulses trigger your heart to beat so that it pumps blood throughout your body. A normal resting heart rate for an adult typically ranges from 55 to 95 beats per minute, according to Douglas Zipes, author of "Cardiac Electrophysiology." Electrical impulses are transmitted to your heart in regular intervals, which helps to maintain a steady rhythm. When your heart rhythm becomes abnormal, it can feel like your heart is fluttering or quivering. The minerals potassium and magnesium play an important role in maintaining a normal heart rhythm.
Potassium
An abnormal heartbeat, also known as an arrhythmia, occurs when there's a disruption in the electrical impulses that travel to your heart. Potassium is a vital mineral that conducts electricity, also known as an electrolyte. A major role of potassium is to stimulate your nerve and muscle tissues. Potassium triggers the heart and other muscles to contract by transmitting electrical impulses. Maintaining healthy potassium levels is crucial to having a normal heart rhythm, explains Zipes.
Magnesium
Magnesium is another mineral that plays a crucial role in the rhythm and function of your heart, according to Zipes. Magnesium works closely with potassium to keep your heart beating normally. The balance of magnesium and potassium in your fluids is critical to keeping your heart beating in a rhythmic fashion. Alterations in the levels of magnesium and potassium can affect membrane excitability throughout your body, including your heart.
Deficiency
Low levels of potassium and or magnesium can cause an irregular heartbeat because it alters the electrochemical makeup of your body, according to Stephen L. Archer, author of "Potassium Channels in Cardiovascular." Because both minerals are abundant in your diet, low levels rarely occur from a dietary lack. Most often, low levels of potassium or magnesium result from fluid loss through urine and sweat. Examples include frequent urination, diarrhea, vomiting and dehydration.
Considerations
Your doctor can conduct a blood test to measure your magnesium and potassium levels. You might experience decreased mineral levels if you're taking diuretics or working out without maintaining proper hydration. In this case, you can consume an electrolyte drink to replenish your levels. Adrenal dysfunction causes low mineral levels in rare instances. Your adrenal glands secrete hormones, known as mineralocorticoids, that regulate mineral balance.
References
- Cardiac Electrophysiology; Douglas P. Zipes
- Potassium Channels in Cardiovascular; Stephen L. Archer
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