|  | Conditions Treatments | Medical Conditions

About Potassium Levels and Their Effects

Potassium levels are the most crucial electrolyte balances to maintain within the body. Too much or too little potassium can lead to serious medical conditions, even death. With a little attention to your physical well-being, potassium imbalances can be caught quickly before serious medical attention is required.

  1. Significance

    • The body's delicate balance of the electrolyte potassium is necessary for good health. Too much potassium has the potential to cause muscular contractions, including the heart, which can lead to death. Too little potassium leads to muscle weakness, also causing irregular heartbeats.

    Function

    • Potassium's most important functions include regulation of the heart beat, fluid balance, muscle and nerve conduction and conversion of blood glucose into the muscle fuel glycogen. One of the first signs of a low potassium level (hypokalemia) is muscle weakness and fatigue. The initial sign of too much potassium (hyperkalelmia), which is the more common disorder, is muscle cramping. Mental-status changes are also a common manifestation of a low potassium level.

    Considerations

    • Potassium levels are conversely to sodium in the body's electrolyte balances. Oftentimes, low potassium levels are caused by excessive intake of sodium. People who are very active may find it necessary to increase their potassium consumption as this electrolyte is excreted in sweat. Vomiting and diarrhea also result in a low potassium level and any prolonged episodes, more than two days, should be checked by a doctor.

    Prevention/Solution

    • It is possible to raise potassium levels with supplements, available at drug or health-food stores, as well as food sources. Bananas, lima beans, avocados and potatoes are among the highest potassium-containing foods. Some popular brands of yogurt are also now fortified with potassium. Adding these to the diet a few times a week can help to maintain proper potassium levels in the body.

    Warning

    • Severe potassium imbalances must be treated by a medical professional. Consult your doctor if you develop any acute muscle weakness that does not subside with rest or irregular heart beat (whether fast or slow), prolonged nausea and vomiting or acute mental-status changes. These are all signs of a potassium imbalance and should be treated immediately.

Medical Conditions - Related Articles