The Importance of Electrolytes - Potassium
Potassium, sodium, chloride, calcium, and magnesium are electrolytes, or substances that conduct electricity when dissolved in water. These minerals work closely together and must be in the proper balance for good health.
Potassium is a mineral that helps the kidneys function normally. It is vital to heart function and plays an important role in skeletal and smooth muscle contraction, making it essential for normal digestive and muscular function, too.
What factors might contribute to potassium deficiency?
Potassium occurs naturally in a wide variety of foods. As a result, potassium deficiency is rare. However, poor dietary intake, excessive physical activity, excessive sweating, diarrhea, over-use of diuretics (including alcoholic beverages and beverages containing caffeine), poor water intake, imbalanced intake of sodium, high blood pressure, taking of certain medications, and adherence to a ketogenic diet ( a diet promoting ketosis) can all increase a person’s need for potassium. Stimulant laxatives, Cisplatin (a chemotherapy medication), steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (including prednisone and cortisone), Neomycin (an antibacterial drug), Theopylline and Aminopylline (asthma medications), Tobramycin (an IV antibiotic) and certain diuretics (thiazide diuretics and loop diuretics) can cause decreased levels of potassium in the blood, increased loss of potassium in the urine as well as reducing absorption of dietary potassium.
Signs of potassium deficiency may include muscle weakness, confusion, irritability, fatigue and heart problems.
The Ketogenic Diets and Potassium
Ketogenic diets, or low-carbohydrate diets can cause concern of potassium deficiencies. Most people can get enough potassium by eating the full variety of allowed foods.
Some of the allowed foods that are good sources of potassium include: Swiss chard, romaine lettuce, spinach, celery, basil, mustard greens, fennel, cucumbers, tomatoes, turnip greens, collard greens, kale, turmeric powder, asparagus, ginger root, strawberries, cabbage, cod, halibut, scallops, grapefruit, onions, oranges, and parsley.
One good way of ensuring sufficient potassium intake while on a low-carbohydrate diet is to make a tea from parsley leaves and drink a cup every day. (Take a handful of parsley, boil in a cup of water, strain out the parsley and drink.)
Be Careful
Elevated blood levels of potassium can be toxic. Some signs of potassium toxicity may include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle weakness, ulcers, an irregular heartbeat and even heart attack. Due to the potential for such side effects, you should only take potassium supplements under the advice of a qualified health care provider.
As we age our kidneys get rid of potassium less efficiently, thereby making older individuals at a greater risk for excess potassium in the blood, or hyperkalemia. Older adults should talk to their doctor before taking potassium supplements.
People with hyperkalemia or kidney disease or are taking the medications trimethoprim(Bactrim), sulfamethoxazole (Septra), ACE inhibitors, or potassium-sparing diuretics should not take potassium supplements.
Conclusion
When you maintain healthy levels of potassium in you body it helps your muscles and nerves to function properly, maintains the proper electrolyte and acid-base balance in your body, and may help to lower your risk of high blood pressure. Eating a variety of the allowed foods that are high in potassium is the best way to keep your potassium ratios at an appropriate level. Only take supplements on the advice of a qualified physician.
