Dangers of Low Potassium

Our body is made of cells and it is because of them that we function. However, these cells too have some requirements for their appropriate functioning and these requirements are usually electrolytes. Potassium is one such electrolyte which is very important for a cell to survive and function appropriately. It is present in the cells and is supplied to them through the serum present in the bloodstream. The main function of this potassium in the cells is to maintain the electric potential of the cell and when the serum falls short of this potassium, the electric potential of the cells is affected. There are many reasons for this low level of potassium or hypokalemia in the serum. Because of these reasons, there are a few dangers of low potassium that are observed. These are mentioned in the paragraphs below, take a look.

Dangers of Low Potassium Levels

Before we start our discussion on dangers of low potassium, let's read more about the sources of potassium and the causes of this potassium deficiency. Potassium is taken into the body through dietary sources from foods that are rich in this electrolyte. Some of the common sources are fresh fruits like bananas, strawberries, apricots and avocados; vegetables like peas, beets, tomatoes, greens and mushrooms; and meat like fish, turkey and beef.

The adequate level of potassium is 3.5 to 5.0 mEq/L (mEq/L means milliequivalents per liter of blood which is a unit used to evaluate the potassium level). When the potassium level is below 3.5 mEq/L, it is said to be lower than the required amount. However, potassium deficiency is not caused due to poor diet intake, it can be caused due to loss of potassium which is already taken in. These causes of low potassium can be; vomiting, diarrhea, Ileostomy, Villous adenoma, diuretic medications, renal tubular acidosis and low magnesium levels in the body. Coming up are the low potassium problems, read on.

Heart Problems
The first danger that low potassium poses, is to the heart, where you can literally miss your heartbeat. Due to abnormal contraction of the heart muscles, there are other dangers like weak or irregular pulse rate as well as weak pumping of the blood by the heart to other body parts. Because of this low supply of blood, there can be sudden lowering of blood pressure, that can cause nausea and fatigue.

Kidney Disorders
Since almost 98% of the potassium in the body is stored in our cells, every organ in our body requires this mineral for proper functioning. Out of all the important organs, kidneys also require potassium for their functioning. Low potassium levels can lead to very serious damages to the kidneys leaving them non-functional. There is another severe condition known as the hypokalemic nephropathy, which is also caused due to potassium deficiency.

Paralysis
Low potassium, when not treated can also become fatal. Therefore, it is very important to treat this deficiency as soon as it is diagnosed. Another life-threatening risk and commonly seen dangers of low potassium is paralysis. This is a disease, where the deficiency can strike very suddenly rendering a few major organs in the body non-functional. These can be your lungs, heart, or any other such important organs which are required for a normal functioning body.

Bone Problems
It is very commonly understood, that potassium is one of the major components in the structure of bones. Thus, when there is a loss of potassium due to respective causes, this deficiency can lead to major bone loss in osteoporosis. Because of these low potassium levels, the bones become weak and slow, and if not treated can become non-functional as well. You can battle this problem by increasing the intake of potassium in the body.

Other Dangers
Some other dangers of low potassium can be lethargy, fatigue, sores and feeling of tiredness throughout the day. Other disorders like anxiety and irritability are also observed when there is low potassium in the body. Mood swings, depression, emotional changes and other temporary mental issues can also be created because of low potassium. Muscle spasms and body ache is also a common side effects of low potassium or hypokalemia.

With these dangers of low potassium, hope you found the information you were looking for. If you are observing the signs and symptoms of low potassium, don't ignore them and visit a doctor as soon as possible. Prevention is always better than cure.