Potassium is one of the most essential minerals for the body, therefore, having low potassium levels can become very serious, so much so that it can literally cost us our lives. Throughout this text we are going to explain the causes that lead us to have low levels of this mineral, as well as the symptoms and risks that we face, apart from our heart stopping beating.
Our body needs a series of nutrients to function normally, just like a television remote needs batteries. Potassium is a very important mineral and very necessary for our day to day life. We are going to learn what this nutrient is for, and everything that happens if we do not have enough in our body.
Each nutrient that we ingest is useful for something, if it were not, we could live off the air, but this is not the case. Just as calcium is used for bones and teeth, among other things, and vitamin C is used to strengthen the immune system and fight against oxidation in cells, potassium has several important missions, for example, preventing us from dying because our heart stop suddenly. We are going to see it in detail, as well as the causes, symptoms and possible treatments to increase potassium in the blood.
What is potassium for?
Potassium is a mineral, as we well know, and we need it for our body to function normally. Potassium is an electrolyte and aids in nerve function and muscle contraction, as well as keeping the heart rate stable and steady.
Another of the functions of potassium in the body is that it is responsible for nutrients reaching each cell and also for them to expel waste. That later we will expel through urine or feces.
Therefore, if there is not enough potassium in the blood, these functions are not fulfilled and can lead to an abnormal heart rhythm, and even stop. We will see the rest of the symptoms in the following sections.
Causes
The causes that lead us to suffer from potassium deficiency are very varied, but it is mainly due to a poor diet, stomach problems and others, as we will see in the following list of causes.
- Diuretic medications.
- antibiotics
- Diarrhea and vomiting.
- Excess laxatives.
- Lots of sweating and not replacing fluids.
- Genetic disorders.
- Low magnesium levels.
- Eating disorders such as bulimia.
- hyperaldosteronism.
- Renal disease.
If we see that diarrhea or loose stools continue over time and the situation does not improve, we should go to a specialist, since we could suffer from nutritional deficiencies that put our health at risk. Not only that, but those loose stools or diarrhea could be due to some internal health problem, either stomach or intestinal, as well as psychological, such as an anxiety disorder.
Symptoms
If the drop in potassium levels is minimal, it does not usually manifest with symptoms and if there are, it could be due to other internal damage. These symptoms appear when the decompensation is high, which is serious due to everything we have already seen before arriving here, such as, for example, that our heart could stop.
- Constipation.
- Irregular palpitations.
- Fatigue.
- Muscle pain.
- Muscular weakness.
- Tingling and numbness.
We can suffer from these symptoms and not be related to potassium, this is something that we must take into account, since they are very common symptoms for other diseases and ailments. That is why, before quickly going to a herbalist for natural vitamin supplements, or a potassium supplement, consult a doctor as soon as possible and have a complete check-up with an electrocardiogram and blood tests. Only then will we get out of doubt.
Diagnosis and treatment
The most normal thing is that a very complete blood test is carried out to check the levels of sugar, sodium, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, proteins and a multitude of vitamins. An EKG is also needed to see if the heart is pumping properly or if there are any physical abnormalities.
In case the condition is mild, the doctor will prescribe potassium supplement pills, recommend improving the diet and drinking more fluids. If the problem is serious, we will surely receive potassium intravenously, as well as other medical procedures in order to save our lives.
If due to any health problem, we need medication or diuretic foods, and that causes potassium loss, the doctor should know this to make certain changes through which we do not lose as much potassium and surely prescribe a potassium supplement temporarily.
When we visit the doctor, we must be 100% honest, and explain to them if we have any previous health problems, an eating disorder, or are using laxatives as a method to lose weight (which is completely contraindicated). It would also be interesting to comment on the type of diet that we currently have, since a very restrictive and strict diet could cause serious consequences such as low levels of minerals and vitamins.
Prevention
To prevent these situations, it is best to do annual check-ups, and go to a specialist the moment we notice that something is not going quite right in our body. For example, constant dizziness, lack of balance, abnormal heart rhythm, feeling weak, etc.
Apart from medical check-ups and advice, as well as punctual supplementation, there is another way to gain potassium easily and quickly. Many times we emphasize eating a healthy diet, and this is not to repeat ourselves, but it is the only way to offer our body a wide variety of minerals and vitamins so that it is always healthy.
- avocados
- Oranges.
- Potatoes (not fried, but baked or steamed).
- bananas.
- Carrots.
- Lean meat.
- Milk and other dairy.
- Jewish.
- Peas.
- Salmon and other oily fish.
- Seaweed.
- Spinach.
- Wheat germ.
- Saved.
- Peanuts and peanut butter.
- almonds
- Pinions.
- Sunflower seeds.
- Walnuts.
