Prepared by – Suzanne Abou Said Daou If you’re feeling tired, or having cramps in your legs, as well as suffering from palpitations, and many other symptoms, the reason may be having potassium deficiency. Potassium, a mineral, and an electrolyte works by protecting blood vessels from oxidative damage and keeps vessel walls from thickening, and has an important role in muscle contraction throughout the body. However, Potassium deficiency, or hypokalemia, is a condition where the mineral Potassium has low concentration in the blood, and that is translated in the form of symptoms that range in their severity accordingly. In our modern diet, there’s too much sodium and too little potassium. Studies suggest boosting your potassium intake and curbing salt and sodium can slash your stroke risk by 21 percent and may also lower your odds of developing heart disease. Almost 98% of potassium is found inside the cells. But it’s the minute changes in the level of potassium that is present outside the cells that can have severe effects especially on the heart to regulate blood pressure and beat properly, as well as nerves and muscles contraction. Symptoms Normally, blood potassium level is 3.6 to 5.2 millimoles per liter (mmol/L); however, a very low potassium level (less than 2.5 mmol/L) can be life-threatening and requires urgent medical attention. Rarely is low potassium caused by not getting enough potassium in your diet, as well as there’s almost one out of five people hospitalized in the United States with low potassium level. A small drop in potassium level often does not cause symptoms, or the symptoms may be mild and include: abnormal heart rhythms (dysrhythmias), especially in people with heart disease, constipation, feeling of skipped heart beats or palpitations, fatigue, muscle damage, muscle weakness or spasms, and tingling or numbness. Causes of HypoKalemia Common causes of low potassium level include certain antibiotics, diarrhea or vomiting, using too much laxatives, which can cause diarrhea, chronic kidney disease, diuretic medicines (water pills), used to treat heart failure and high blood pressure, eating disorders (such as bulimia and anorexia nervosa), low magnesium level, sweatingPeople, patients with AIDS, alcoholics, and those who have had bariatric surgery, have a higher incidence of hypokalemia than others. Sources of Potassium When we think of Potassium, one fruit comes to your mind, bananas; however the quantity of Potassium in the many foods exceed bananas including some examples and their corresponding potassium concentrations: Winter squash, cubed, 1 cup, cooked: 896 mg, Sweet potato, medium, baked with skin: 694 mg, Potato, medium, baked with skin: 610 mg, White beans, canned, drained, half cup: 595 mg, Yogurt, fat-free, 1 cup: 579 mg, Halibut, 3 ounces, cooked: 490 mg, 100% orange juice, 8 ounces: 496 mg, Broccoli, 1 cup, cooked: 457 mg, Cantaloupe, cubed, 1 cup: 431 mg, Banana, 1 medium: 422 mg. In conclusion, a healthy balanced low salt diet, and adding the previous fruits and vegetables, will ensure an optimum potassium level. Sources: WebMd, science daily, Mayo clinic , Wikipedia etc… Photo source: http://www.nutrientsreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/High-potassium-food.jpg
