Potassium Deficiency Symptoms and Food to Combat

You know that you have to take care of your calcium, magnesium, and iron levels in the body. But did you know that your potassium level is essential as well for your body to function correctly? You may be suffering from a deficiency without even knowing it.

Let’s see what potassium is. Why is it so vital to your health? What are the symptoms of a deficiency? How can you prevent it as well as restore it’s levels in the body naturally with food?

What is Potassium and Why It’s Important for Our Health?

To understand why a potassium loss is so detrimental to our health and well-being, we need first to know what it is and then what role it plays in our body.

Our body is 70% water. 40% of this water is inside our cells, as intracellular fluid. Thus, the other 30% is in our blood, spinal fluid, and between cells, as extracellular fluid. Why did I tell you that?

The amount of water in the intracellular and extracellular fluid is regulated by the concentration of electrolytes, like sodium and potassium. There should be an equilibrium between these two electrolytes. Imagine what happens when potassium gets lower. Yikes!

One of the main problems of a deficiency is dehydration; as a result, it affects the heart and kidneys.

Potassium is one of the most critical mineral electrolytes – positively charged ion. It is the third most abundant mineral in the body. It is found mainly in the fluid inside the cells (98%), and it is 30 times more concentrated inside than outside cells. That is why, even small changes in the level affects the heart, nerve, kidneys, and muscles.

Potassium plays a role in many functions of the body.  It helps with muscle contractions and pumping of the heart. The kidneys control the optimal levels of potassium, consequently eliminating the excess out of the body through urine. Together with sodium, potassium supports cellular function.

Some enzymes require potassium in their activity — for instance, carbohydrate metabolism.

The nervous system is the messenger between our brain and the rest of our body. The messages are the nerve impulses that regulate many body functions. Why do you have to know this? Because a low level in the body will affect the capacity to generate nerve impulses and send commands to the body.

How Much Potassium Does Your Body Need?

Normal levels range between 3.5-5.0 mEq/L. Doctors measure this with a blood test.

Therefore, the recommended daily intake by age is as follows:

• Infants up to 12 months: 400-700 mg/daily
• Children up to 8 years: 3,000-3,800 mg/daily
• Teen and adults: 4,700 mg/daily
• Pregnant and breastfeeding women: 5,100 mg/daily

Athletes need even more potassium because of their intense training and higher muscle mass that consumes more nutrients and requires more nutrients in the body.

What Causes Low Levels of Potassium in the Body?

Many factors contribute to potassium deficiency. These can include poor and nutrients depleted diet, an unhealthy lifestyle, health problems, as well as some medications. Here are a few of the most prevalent culprits:

• Diuretics – increase urination frequency, and because of that, with each urination, there is a potassium loss.
• Chronic Kidney Diseases
• Diabetes
• Use of Insulin
• Diarrhea
• Excessive Laxative use or Enemas
• Vomiting
• Eating Disorders (Anorexia and Bulimia)
• Adrenal Problems (Cushing’s Disease)
• Some Medication (Bronchodilators, Steroids, or Antibiotics)
• Intense Training and Exercising
• Alcoholism
• Low calories diet

Symptoms of Low Levels of Potassium

Signs that indicate a loss of potassium in the body mainly involve the digestive system, kidneys, muscles, nerves, and heart.

One of the roles of potassium is to keep the pH balance in the body. Another problem of a deficiency is that the body can’t neutralize acids. In conclusion, the body becomes too acidic. Our pH becomes off-balanced when there is a low intake of fruits and vegetables and a higher consumption of animal proteins. As a result, the consequence is poor digestion, tiredness, weak immunity, heart problems, and other health problems.

Deficiency Symptoms Can Include:

• Weakness or Fatigue
• Fainting, Light-Headed or Dizzy
• Hyperthyroidism
• Muscular Cramps and Spasms
• Abdominal Cramps, Bloating or Constipation
• Nausea and Vomiting
• Heart Palpitations or High Blood Pressure
• Thirst
• Difficulties Breathing
• Frequent Urination
• Insomnia
• Problems with Concentration and Memory
• Depression
• Confusion and Hallucinations

When you have some of these symptoms, contact your doctor for further tests and treatment. Your doctor will, as a result, recommend several blood tests. These tests will include your mineral and vitamin levels in your blood, urine tests, ECG, and others. As a result, the testing will let you know if you have a potassium deficiency.

Combat Deficiency

According to USDA, the daily recommended dose of potassium for adults is 4,700 mg. A recent survey, in short, revealed that only 3% of the American population consumes the daily recommended dose of potassium from their diet. The rest of the 73% is estimated to have an even lower intake than the necessary daily dose.

The Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP) has consequently declared potassium a nutrient of public health concern. Acknowledging that the American population doesn’t consume enough and underconsumption of this vital electrolyte is undoubtedly linked with health problems.

The nutrient-deficient diet of the overall population has prompted them to establish a Dietary Guideline for 2015-2020 in the hopes of raising awareness and increase nutrient intake among the people.

Above all, the best way to regulate levels in your body is to eat predominantly potassium-rich foods. Among these, the highest levels are veggies and fruits (20%). Then in milk and dairy products (11%). After that, in meat (10%), and grains (10%). Our bodies subsequently absorb about 85% of the potassium consumed from food, fighting against any deficiency.

Top Recommended Potassium-Rich Foods

Hypokalemia, or deficiency of potassium in the bloodstream, is easily treatable. You can manage it with a healthier diet and food. Here are a few examples of potassium-rich foods.

Don’t worry if your levels of potassium are low. With a healthy diet consisting of many potassium-rich food sources, you will soon get your electrolytes balanced, putting your health back on track.