Potassium Deficiency: Effects of low Potassium

Importance of Potassium in human body:
Potassium is a very important mineral that helps us feel and be healthy everyday. Potassium is found inside the human body cells (also found outside the body cells in very small quantity of about 2-3% of total Potassium contents of the body). Potassium plays an important role in smooth muscular and cellular functioning, cardiovascular functioning, muscle contractions, nerve transmission, in conversion of glucose into glycogen and muscle building etc. Potassium in body is necessary to monitor and regulate aldosterone (hormone found in human body). It also plays an important role of a catalyst for many types of enzymes inside the human body, in other terms; it helps in spawning many important chemical reactions inside human body. It is believed by many people (doctors) that Potassium helps in improving ATP hydrolysis.

Potassium is called Natural Diuretic as it easily gets absorbed by our body and almost 85-90% of it is excreted from our bowels and kidneys (urine). Because of its alkaline property, it is a very important mineral which helps our body system to maintain of pH level balanced and also to maintain proper level of water inside body. The most important function of Potassium in human body is to keep blood pressure under control and help in intra-cellular nutrient transfer. It also helps in keeping acne, some type of allergies, fatigue, kidney stones etc. problems at bay.

It is very important to take healthy and Potassium rich diet everyday in order to keep our body functioning properly and feel healthy.

What is Potassium Deficiency (Hypokalemia)?
A medical condition in which our body fails to retain minimum necessary amount of Potassium required for its day to day functioning is called as Potassium deficiency or hypokalemia. Potassium deficiency (hypokalemia) can be fatal at times if not taken care of. A person may also develop Potassium deficiency due to extra excretion of Potassium or lower quantity of Potassium in daily diet.

Symptoms of Hypokalemia:
Hypokalemia ranges from very ornate to severe level. A person suffering from simple/harmless/primary staged hypokalemia may experience no symptoms at all, but general symptoms of hypokalemia are:

• Fatigue
• Patient may experience problems such as Myalgia and muscular weakness
• Patient may experience hyponatremia and also may experience confused i.e. anxiety.
• Acme problem
• Skin related problems such as blistering, skin eruptions, dryness of skin etc.
• Temporary memory loss or problems such as weak memory etc.
• Patient is prone to heart related problems, such as heart deterioration.
• Digestive system also may get affected due to potassium deficiency leading to hypertension, improper sleep, nervous system deterioration, depression, constipation etc.
• In some cases patient may experience ringing/noise in ear.

What are the causes of hypokalemia?
There can be more than one reasons of potassium deficiency (hypokalemia) in a person such as lower level of Potassium in daily diet (i.e. insufficient potassium consumption), excess potassium excretion through bowel motions or urine, if a person is undergoing medication that as a side effect causes lowering in Potassium level in body, if a patient is suffering from problems such as diabetic ketoacidosis, related to renal salt transporters (Bartter Syndrome or Gitelman Syndrome), it may lead to hypokalemia, if a person is suffering from diseases which cause excessive excretion of potassium through bowel motion or urination can lead to hypokalemia etc.

Treatments available for hypokalemia:
Hypokalemia is generally treated by treating the symptoms a patient is experiencing i.e. if a person is suffering from diarrhea or constipation then he/she is treated for the problem so as to stop/regulate Potassium loss from his/her body. Your physician may also suggest you medication to improve Potassium level in your body.

The patient is generally asked to take balanced diet for days in order to restore the physical health pertaining Potassium level and its role in metabolism.

However, your physician may decide the treatment to be followed based on the severity of hypokalemia you are suffering from.

In order to avoid Hypokalemia, you should prefer balanced diet in your daily meal. Include food high in Potassium: Orange, banana, potato, tomato, watermelon, beans, some type of cereals, dried fruits such as peaches, dates, apricots, raisins etc., meat, grapes, milk, egg-yogurt, spinach etc.