About Potassium:
Potassium is a dietary mineral that is generally quite abundant in most people's diets, so most healthy people get plenty from their diets. Due to illness, however, some people need to restrict their dietary potassium intake and some people may actually need to increase their intake. If you have any questions about your potassium levels, please speak to your doctor.
Why You Need Potassium:
You need this mineral:
- as a component for balancing the pH of your body
- for normal water balance in your body
- for normal muscle growth
- for healthy nervous system and brain function
Measuring Potassium With Blood Tests:
Most of your potassium is found inside the cells in your body. Only about two percent is found in the blood. Your body likes to keep the amount of potassium in your blood fairly level.
Abnormal Blood Potassium Levels:
Blood levels of potassium may fluctuate due to kidney disease, diabetes, vomiting, as a side effect to certain medications, fluctuating hormone levels, amount of potassium in the diet and blood pH.
Hyperkalemia:
Hyperkalemia is a condition where there is too much potassium in the blood. Usually this is due to an underlying medical condition such as a kidney disease or diabetes. Doctors want to keep an eye on elevated potassium levels because very high levels can be damaging to your heart.
Hypokalemia:
Hypokalemia is a condition where the potassium levels are too low.
This may happen because you don't get enough from your diet, however it is more common for potassium levels to become too low because of digestive problems. For example, chronic diarrhea or excessive vomiting. Certain hormonal disorders such as Cushing's disease can also cause low levels of potassium. Some drugs like diuretics and laxatives can also cause hypokalemia.
Potassium in Foods:
If your potassium levels are too high, you doctor may tell you to go on a potassium-restricted diet. If your potassium levels are too low, your doctor may tell you to get more potassium in your diet. Here is a list of foods rich in potassium:
- raisins
- prunes
- apricots
- dates
- strawberries
- bananas
- watermelon
- cantaloupe
- citrus fruits
- beets
- greens
- spinach
- tomatoes
- mushrooms
- soy products
- veggie burgers
- peas
- beans
- turkey
- fish
- beef
- salmon
- cod
Sources:
Tazoe M, Narita M, Sakuta R, Nagai T, Narita N. "Hyperkalemia and hyperdopaminemia induced by an obsessive eating of banana in an anorexia nervosa adolescent." Brain Dev. 2006 Dec 26.
O'Shaughnessy KM. "Role of diet in hypertension management." Curr Hypertens Rep. 2006 Aug;8(4):292-7.
The Importance of Potassium. The American Heart Association. Accessed July 17, 2009. http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=331
