Signs of low potassium: Weakness and exhaustion, muscular cramps, muscle aches and stiffness, tingles and numbness, heart palpitations, breathing difficulties, digestive complaints, and changes in blood pressure are all common symptoms and signs of low potassium. Contact a healthcare professional if you believe you are deficient.
Potassium is an essential nutrient. Its primary role is to help maintain normal fluid levels inside our cells. And also plays a big part in muscle contraction, regulating blood pressure, synthesizing proteins, and metabolizing carbohydrates.
Potassium levels may decline for many reasons, but if the levels drop too low. It can cause serious health issues. Now the question is how to know about your body’s potassium levels. Well, for that, you have to understand the language of your body that is signs of low potassium.
Some Common Symptoms And Signs of Low Potassium Levels in the Body
- Constipation.
- Heartbeats or palpitations.
- Fatigue.
- Muscle damage.
- Muscle weakness or spasms.
- Tingling or numbness.
- Depression.
- High blood pressure.
- Polyuria.
- Muscle paralysis.
- Breathing problems.
In a post, we will share what are the 10 signs of low potassium that are mostly ignored.
1. Muscle Weakness
Potassium deficiency affects skeletal muscles. Most commonly, particularly those in the arms and legs, leading to general muscle weakness and cramping. An individual loses small amounts of potassium through sweating in hot climates or after intense physical activity.
Hypokalemia causes muscles to produce weaker contractions and may result in paralysis of the bowel—low blood pressure, muscle cramps, and mineral deficiencies tetany in many athletes. Eat a banana or two just before starting their physical activities. Bananas are a rich source of potassium that quickly increases blood levels preventing any potential leg cramping.
2. Constipation is Signs Of Low Potassium
Potassium is essential in transmitting messages from the brain to the muscles, which causes muscle contractions. The low levels of potassium in your body can affect the intestinal muscles food passes through your gut very slowly. As a result, you may develop constipation, bloating, and nausea. Although lack of potassium is not the only cause of constipation, it may result from too much dietary fiber or dehydration. So it is always best to consult your physician before jumping to a conclusion and buying potassium supplements.
3. Depression Is Normal Signs Of Low Potassium
Are you feeling depressed lately? It could be due to Signs of low potassium levels. A study published in the journal physiological reports shows that eating sodium-rich and low-potassium foods results in depression, anxiety, and mood swings.
It is because potassium transmits messages from the brain to other body parts. And low blood potassium levels disrupt the signals that maintain optimal brain function, which results in confusion and depressed feelings. So next time you feel down, try eating a banana or potassium-rich food, and you can see the results yourself.
4. Symptoms of Low Potassium in The Elderly High Blood Pressure
It is crucial to have a perfect balance of electrolytes to maintain normal blood pressure. It is common knowledge that too much sodium in the body can increase blood pressure. Yet few know that too little potassium intake can have the same effect potassium works to aid the process of filtration in your kidneys and get rid of the excess sodium through urine.
If there is a lack of potassium in the bloodstream, the kidneys reabsorb sodium back into the blood, potentially leading to high blood pressure. Over time, potassium also relaxes the blood vessels, and if there is a deficiency, the blood vessels become constricted, causing blood pressure to rise. So if you have high blood pressure, remember to add potassium-rich foods to your diet.
Some foods with high potassium levels are:
- Spinach
- Bananas
- Avocado
- Beans
- Lentils
- Potatoes
Try adding them to your daily meals to maintain optimum potassium levels.
5. Signs Of Low Potassium Is Polyuria
Polyuria is when you urinate more often than usual your kidneys are responsible for balancing the body’s fluid and electrolyte levels and removing any waste through the urine. In the case of low potassium levels, kidneys cannot concentrate urine and balance the blood’s electrolyte levels properly. That results in increased urination and increased thirst, known as polydipsia.
There will be a vicious cycle of more potassium loss with frequent urination in severe hypokalemic cases, which may require intravenous IV therapy under strict monitoring due to the risk of rebounding high potassium, which can be fatal.
6. Symptoms of Low Potassium in Females Are Muscle Paralysis
Severe hypokalemia is usually associated with acute flaccid paralysis ranging from mild muscle weakness to severe paralysis due to weak to no muscle contractions. Early stages affect the arms and legs, but cardiac or respiratory muscle involvement can result in life-threatening arrhythmia or respiratory failure.
According to the national center for biotechnology information, the adequate intakes for potassium are 2600 milligrams and 3 400 milligrams for women and men, respectively.
Some excellent sources of potassium are:
- Dried apricots
- Cooked lentils
- Cooked potato
- Canned kidney beans
- Orange juice
To name a few, avoid caffeine or tobacco after eating potassium-rich foods as they reduce potassium absorption in the body.
7. Breathing Problems Are Common Signs of Low Potassium
Breathing principally requires using the diaphragm, a dome-shaped muscular and membranous structure, to help the lungs inhale and exhale air. When blood potassium levels are low, and the diaphragm muscle produces weaker contractions, your lungs may not be able to expand and contract properly—resulting in shortness of breath.
A severe lack of potassium can even be fatal since the lungs may stop working. A study published in the international journal of infectious diseases found that people with low potassium levels were at a significantly higher risk of being in hospital. Respiratory failure and the need for a ventilator compared to people with healthy potassium levels.
8. Unexplained Fatigue, Weakness, And Tiredness
Fatigue and tiredness could be due to different reasons, including a busy week or lack of sleep. But it’s time to check your potassium levels if everything is going well and you are still feeling constantly tired. Signs of low potassium levels can significantly affect a wide range of bodily functions and lead to low energy levels and both physical and mental fatigue. Besides muscle contraction, hypokalemia may also affect how your body uses nutrients, resulting in fatigue.
For example, potassium deficiency could impair insulin production. Studies show that as a result, this could lead to high blood sugar levels and less available glucose, which functions as energy for your cells. Health professionals can diagnose hypokalemia by performing a simple blood test to determine a person’s potassium levels. Additional electrolyte tests may be conducted, such as those for phosphorus, calcium, and magnesium. On the other hand, urine testing may also determine how much potassium is leaving the body.
9. You Crave And Eat A Lot of Junk Food
A poor unbalanced diet will end you up with a potassium deficiency. Most processed foods like chips, frozen meals, and crackers contain sodium. The more sodium your body intakes, the more potassium your body will excrete. It would help to reduce salt-rich items to retain more dietary potassium.
Treatment for potassium deficiency depends on an individual’s symptoms and the extent of how low the hypokalemia. Eat more potassium-packed foods like Yogurt, avocados, sun-dried tomatoes, and sardines. Aim to have two to four potassium-rich foods daily spread over 24 hours.
10. Heartbeats or Palpitations
Potassium plays a vital role in maintaining healthy cardiac contractions. Because the flow of potassium in and out of heart cells helps to regulate your heartbeat, arrhythmia is a common complication of low potassium levels. It can cause a cardiac emergency, especially in individuals with underlying heart issues. Doctors perform an electrocardiogram ECG to check the heart rhythms. You should seek immediate medical attention if you notice unusual heart rate changes.
Bottom Line
So keep checking these symptoms to maintain a healthy potassium range in your body. Very few people meet the daily recommended value for potassium. However, in most cases, potassium deficiency is not caused by an unbalanced diet alone—several other hypokalemia factors include fluid loss, malnutrition shock, and certain medical conditions.
The best way to avoid potassium deficiency is by eating plenty of fruits and vegetables and reducing salt intake. And most importantly, do not take any medication without a prescription, as they can affect potassium absorption in the body. And cause deficiency if you are facing any of the above symptoms. Make sure to consult with your physician before starting a potassium-rich diet or supplement.
FAQ
Q: How can low potassium levels affect your health?
Signs of low potassium levels can cause muscles to become weak, cramp, twitch, or even paralyzed, as well as irregular heart rhythms. Blood tests to detect potassium levels are used to make the diagnosis. Typically, eating potassium-rich meals or taking potassium supplements orally is all that is required.
Q: Is your body deficient in potassium?
Weakness and fatigue, muscle cramps, muscle aches and stiffness, tingles and numbness, heart palpitations, breathing difficulties, digestive symptoms, and changes in blood pressure are all common signs and symptoms of potassium deficiency.
Q: Can drinking a lot of water lower potassium?
Excessive water drinking may result in potassium deficiency., an essential nutrient. It may cause symptoms like leg pain, irritation, chest pain, etc.
Q: What causes potassium to drop?
There are several reasons for low potassium (hypokalemia). The most prevalent reason is increased potassium loss in urine due to prescription drugs that promote excessive urination. These drugs, also known as water pills or diuretics, are frequently prescribed to people with high blood pressure.
Q: How do you fix low potassium?
Taking potassium pills every day. Consuming more potassium-rich foods, such as fruits and vegetables. Taking angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers can raise the body’s potassium levels.
Q: What drink is high in potassium?
Drinking fruit and vegetable juices is another easy way to increase potassium intake. Citrus juices provide the most potassium. For example, 1 cup (240 mL) of 100% orange juice offers about 10% of the DV for potassium, while the same grapefruit juice serves 9% of the DV.
Q: Can low potassium cause the legs to ache?
A lack of potassium can reduce the effectiveness of many Body muscles, including those in the arms and legs. It can contribute to muscle cramps and weakness, for example.
Q: Are eggs high in potassium?
A big egg has around 63 milligrams of potassium. 1 Egg are a low-potassium food, but see your doctor or a nutritionist to determine how often you should consume them.
Q: Is coffee high in potassium?
A cup of black coffee has 116 milligrams of potassium. This is a potassium-deficient meal. Many people, however, consume more than one cup of coffee every day. Daily consumption of three to four cups of coffee is high in potassium and may elevate your potassium levels.
