Potassium Deficiency Cure

Potassium is a mineral derived from food. The human body uses potassium to help build muscles, maintain the balance between acid and water in the blood and help transmit signals between various nerves and cells. People obtain potassium from a supplement or naturally from foods such as chicken, salmon, red meat, dark leafy greens, tomatoes, bananas, oranges and other citrus fruits, melons, and nuts. Despite the variety of options in which one can obtain potassium from, some individuals develop deficiencies.

Hypokalemia

• Potassium deficiency is formally known as hypokalemia. Symptoms of hypokalemia include muscle weakness, slow reflexes, dry skin and fatigue. Heart problems can occur if the disease develops quickly. In rare, but severe cases, the whole body can stiffen. This is known as hypokalemic paralysis.

  The primary causes of hypokalemia are vomiting and diarrhea as a result other diseases or certain medications. Although potassium is obtained from food, a deficiency is not normally related to dietary problems. Medications that can cause potassium deficiency include laxatives, steroids, diuretics (water pills), high blood pressure drugs and cortisones. Water pills are the biggest cause of potassium deficiency. Hyperthyroidism, a disease in which the thyroid gland produces too many hormones in the body, also can cause hypokalemia.

Treatment

• The average adult should get 4.7 grams of potassium a day. Although it is healthy for adults to obtain this amount of potassium from food, a deficiency can still develop from other causes. Hypokalemia is a result of potassium being released from the body and not a lack of potassium in the diet. The only way to cure potassium deficiency is to directly treat the causes of it. For example, if hyperthyroidism is the cause of a potassium disorder, then treating the thyroid disorder itself will in turn cure the hypokalemia.

  If medications are the cause of hypokalemia, then increasing potassium through a mineral supplement may help . Such individuals should have their blood checked occasionally in order to measure potassium levels.

Hyperkalemia

• Hyperkalemia is the opposite condition: it occurs when an individual has an over-abundance of potassium in the body. The most common cause of this is kidney disease. Other causes include a severe infection and a dysfunction in the breakdown of proteins. Hyperkalemia can be treated by reducing the amount of potassium in the diet.