Potassium is an essential mineral that your body requires in order to function smoothly. If your potassium levels drop significantly, a condition called hypokalemia occurs. At proper levels, potassium helps the body regulate muscle contractions, levels of body fluids, and various nerve functions. In cases of hypokalemia, these functions are impacted, making hypokalemia a serious condition. Some of the symptoms associated with hypokalemia or potassium deficiency are as follows:
1. Weakness and fatigue
If you are experiencing prolonged bouts of weakness and fatigue, this could mean your potassium levels are too low. This might happen if you’ve been on a restricted diet, for example, making your potassium levels drop quickly. You need to make sure that your body gets its regular intake of potassium to help bring it back to normal levels.
2. Muscle spasms
If you are suffering from hypokalemia, you may find that you commonly experience muscle spasms. Potassium regulates your muscle movements, so any drop in your levels can cause issues with muscle control. If you notice muscle spasms worsening, you should consult your doctor and get required treatment immediately.
3. Digestive problems
When your potassium levels are at normal, they help to facilitate messages from your brain to the digestive center of your body. Usually, these messages help your stomach to break food down so that it can be easily digested. But when you are diagnosed with hypokalemia, these vital messages from the nerve center of your brain cannot get through. In such cases, your stomach is unable to digest the food properly and this can cause you to suffer from constipation and bloating.
4. Heart palpitations
A drop in essential potassium can cause your heart to beat much faster. It can cause you to develop extreme levels of anxiety. This is because potassium helps to regulate your heartbeat, and when this drops your cardio muscular functions are affected.
5. Causes of hypokalemia
We might not give much thought to potassium on a daily basis, but those with low potassium can experience a wide range of negative effects. Bodily functions from nerve and muscle function to the regularity of the heartbeat can be impacted by hypokalemia. The following are causes that increase risk of low potassium levels: Long term use of medications like diuretics (which increase urination), diarrhea or vomiting can also cause loss of potassium from the digestive tract, chronic kidney ailments or folic acid deficiency, excessive use of laxatives, excessive sweating
Potassium is essential for the human body, and when it drops to low levels it can impair the functioning of many organs. From the way your body digests food to your cardio functions, potassium affects everything. If your potassium levels aren’t right, consult your physician to find a course of action. With regular treatment, most patients are able to raise their potassium levels back to normal, healthy ranges.
