Potassium Deficiency Symptoms in Women

Potassium is a mineral that plays a major role in normal functioning of the body. It is an electrolyte that regulate the fluid and electrolyte balance in the cells of your body. It helps in building up of healthy muscles, transmission of signals between the nerves and cells of the body and maintains the rhythm of the heart. Potassium deficiency is also known as hypokalemia and is a major health problem as it has an adverse effect on its functions.

Causes of Potassium Deficiency

There are a number of factors that trigger potassium deficiency in women. Excessive loss of fluids due to chronic vomiting and diarrhea may lead to low level of potassium in the body. Use of diuretics or laxatives can be responsible for potassium deficiency. Those who eat less foods to maintain low body weight may develop this problem. Many women may have potassium deficiency issues during pregnancy. This is triggered by increase in blood volume. Other underlying causes are kidney disease, adrenal glands disorder, thyroid problems, poor nutrition, etc.

Symptoms

Initially, low potassium symptoms are mild in nature. Some early signs are as follows:

• Dryness of skin
• Muscle cramps
• Numbness and tingling
• Increase in urine output
• Nausea
• Palpitation
• Weakness
• Fatigue
• Depression
• Dizziness
• Low blood pressure

If the condition is left untreated, then more serious symptoms are observed. They are as follows:

Gastrointestinal Problem
Potassium maintains the level of fluids inside the digestive tract. When there is a lack of potassium in the body, large amount of fluid from the food get absorbed into the intestines. As result, the intestinal contents harden up and their passage through the tract becomes difficult. This results in irregular bowel movements or constipation. Severe form of constipation often lead to abdominal cramps, bloating and lack of appetite.

Irregular Heartbeat
As we have already mentioned that potassium send electrical signals throughout the body. The brain controls contraction and relaxation of the muscles in the body through these signals . When this function get affected by low potassium in the body, then the heart muscles that regulate the heartbeat do not receive signals on time and fail to maintain the normal rhythm of its contraction and relaxation. In case, there is a severe deficiency of potassium, then it can lead to life-threatening condition like cardiac arrest when the heart stops beating.

Muscle Damage
The effects of low potassium can be dangerous for the entire muscular system of the body. It fails to initiate a normal voluntary contraction of the muscles of the limbs during activities like standing, walking, lifting, etc. As a result, the muscles becomes so weak that the patient may find it difficult to stand or move their limbs around without any support. The skeletal muscles of the body may even suffer rupture and the condition is known as rhabdomyolysis. Serious form of untreated potassium deficiency can even lead to paralysis and the entire body becomes stiff.

Treatment

Serious condition of potassium deficiency like cardiac arrest or paralysis is treated on an emergency basis. Otherwise, in most cases, the condition of potassium deficiency in women is treated with the help of proper diet and potassium supplement. Patients need to eat high potassium foods like potato with skin, leafy greens, lima beans, peas, dairy products, nuts, chicken, salmon, cod and sardines and so on. Fruits like banana, watermelon, citrus fruits, apricots are also good source of potassium. If the food source is not sufficient, then doctors prescribe potassium supplements. It is mostly needed by pregnant women, elderly women and athletes. The dosage of the supplements should be taken as per the instructions provided by the doctor. You should not start using any over the counter potassium supplement on your own as overdose of potassium is bad for your health. If any underlying health problem is responsible for potassium deficiency then it has to be treated to get rid of this problem.

As you can see that potassium deficiency symptoms in women is one such serious issue that you cannot afford to ignore. You can prevent its occurrence by including sufficient amount of potassium in your diet. The daily requirement of potassium in adult is 2000-3000 mg per day which can be easily obtained if you take a healthy balanced diet regularly.