What Can Happen If Your Potassium Level is Too Low?

Potassium is an essential mineral required by our body. It's required to regulate muscle contractions, aid in nerve function, and maintain fluid balance. Most adults don’t meet their daily needs for the mineral.

Potassium works synergistically with sodium to generate nerve impulses. It also aids in heart and muscle contraction. This mineral is found in whole foods and in mixed table salts.

Deficiency in any mineral in the body can affect the equilibrium of all other mineral ions, leading to several problems. In this article, we will discuss the implications of potassium deficiency and how to overcome it.

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What Happens When There's Low Potassium in the Body?

Potassium deficiency is also known as hypokalemia. The condition is rarely caused by dietary deficiencies and is generally due to other factors, like:

• fluid loss
• malnutrition
• diuretic medications, beta 2-agonists, theophylline, insulin, antimicrobials and steroids.
• renal failure
• Bartter syndrome, Gitelman syndrome, and Fanconi syndrome.
• hypomagnesemia
• usage of laxatives, irritable bowel disease, or infections.

Chronically low levels of the mineral can lead to the increased risk of various common diseases.

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Symptoms of Potassium Deficiency

There are several symptoms of potassium deficiency, some of them being mild and others severe. Medical attention is required for the severe deficiency symptoms.

Weakness and Fatigue

Potassium deficiency can contribute to weakness and fatigue. Fatigue can occur due to other reasons as well.

Muscle Cramp

Several studies have found that cramps occur due to the influx of excess calcium ions in the muscle cells.

This imbalance in the level of other ions often occurs due to potassium deficiency. Each mineral helps maintain a healthy balance for optimum bodily functions. People getting frequent muscle cramps are often recommended to consume more potassium.

Breathing Issue

Breathing difficulty can occur due to potassium deficiency. (Image via Unsplash/Sincerely Media)

Lack of potassium and other minerals may cause a build-up of calcium in the respiratory tracts. That can cause difficulty in breathing, also known as asthmatic shocks. Minerals like magnesium also play an important role in the regulation and prevention of the occurrence of calcium deposits in the lungs.

High Blood Pressure

Low sodium levels can lead to high blood pressure (Image via Unsplash/Mockup Graphics)

Potassium deficiency may increase blood pressure and risk of heart disease by affecting the sodium to potassium ratio. High levels of sodium in the blood can be harmful to heart health. People with high blood pressure are often prescribed a diet high in potassium and low in sodium.

Frequent Urination and Increased Thirst

The kidneys are responsible for maintaining the body’s fluid and electrolyte balance.

It also helps in removing any waste through the urine. Low levels of this mineral can impair the kidneys' functions. That can lead to improper regulation of fluid balance, characterized by frequent urination (polyuria).

Meanwhile, the loss of excess water can trigger an increase in thirst (polydipsia). Excess urination can further deplete the body of potassium, which can lead to severe deficiency. Medical attention is usually required in such cases.

Abnormal Heart Beat

This mineral is essential for proper heart function. Ions of different minerals are responsible for the contraction of the heart. Deficiency of any one of them can cause an irregular heartbeat called heart arrhythmias.

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How to Treat Potassium Deficiency?

Whole foodsa are rich in minerals. (Image via Unsplash/Anna Pelzer)

Potassium is found in a variety of foods, especially fruits, vegetables, beans, lentils, and dairy products.The deficiency of this mineral can be prevented by the consumption of foods like fruits, vegetables, beans, and nuts. However, dietary sources aren't as effective as supplementation.

Mild deficiency symptoms are often treated with potassium chloride supplements available over the counter. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has made it necessary to label these supplements with a warning about bowel lesions.

Taking too much of this mineral can cause it to build up in the blood vessels, which is called hyperkalemia. It’s always recommended to take these over-the-counter potassium supplements under proper advice and monitoring of a healthcare professional.