Some medicines also can raise your potassium level. You may need a special diet to lower the amount of potassium that you eat. The information on this site should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or advice. Contact a health care provider if you have questions about your health. Learn More Related Issues Specifics. See, Play and Learn No links available. Research Clinical Trials Journal Articles. Resources Find an Expert. For You Patient Handouts.
Sources of potassium in the diet include Leafy greens, such as spinach and collards Fruit from vines, such as grapes and blackberries Root vegetables, such as carrots and potatoes Citrus fruits, such as oranges and grapefruit Your kidneys help to keep the right amount of potassium in your body.
For low potassium levels, a doctor may prescribe the mineral in supplement form. If you have a severe deficiency, you may need intravenous IV treatment. Certain conditions can cause potassium deficiencies, or hypokalemia. These include:. A temporary decrease in potassium may not cause any symptoms. For example, if you sweat a lot from a hard workout, your potassium levels may normalize after eating a meal or drinking electrolytes before any damage is done. Hypokalemia is usually diagnosed with a blood test.
Your doctor may also order an electrocardiogram of your heart and an arterial blood gas test to measure pH levels in your body. Shop for potassium supplements. Too much potassium can cause hyperkalemia.
This is rare in people who eat balanced diets. Risk factors for overdose include:. The most obvious symptom of too much potassium is an abnormal heartbeat arrhythmia.
Severe cases can lead to death. People with mild cases of high potassium rarely have noticeable symptoms. Your doctor should order occasional blood work if you have any risk factors. There are different treatments for imbalanced potassium levels that depend on if your levels are too high or too low. Potassium supplements are usually the first course of action for levels that are too low. Supplements are mostly effective if your kidneys are in good shape. Potassium-sparing diuretics can rid the body of excess sodium.
This will help normalize electrolyte levels. But, some diuretics and potassium supplements can be harsh on the digestive tract. Ask a doctor for wax-coated pills to help prevent digestive issues.
Only people with normal kidney function can use potassium-sparing diuretics. Another reason is a deficiency of magnesium, as the kidneys need magnesium to help reabsorb potassium and maintain normal levels in cells. Too much potassium in the blood is called hyperkalemia. In healthy people the kidneys will efficiently remove extra potassium, mainly through the urine. However, certain situations can lead to hyperkalemia: advanced kidney disease, taking medications that hold onto potassium in the body including NSAIDs , or people who have compromised kidneys who eat a high-potassium diet more than 4, mg daily or use potassium-based salt substitutes.
Symptoms of hyperkalemia:. The contents of this website are for educational purposes and are not intended to offer personal medical advice. You should seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The Nutrition Source does not recommend or endorse any products. Skip to content The Nutrition Source.
Harvard T. The Nutrition Source Menu. Search for:. Recommended Amounts The U. For pregnant and lactating women, the AI ranges from 2,, depending on age. The interplay of potassium and sodium Potassium and sodium are closely interconnected but have opposite effects in the body. Both are essential nutrients that play key roles in maintaining physiological balance, and both have been linked to the risk of chronic diseases, especially cardiovascular disease.
High salt intake increases blood pressure, which can lead to heart disease, while high potassium intake can help relax blood vessels and excrete sodium while decreasing blood pressure. Our bodies need far more potassium than sodium each day, but the typical U. But what may be even more important for health is the relationship of sodium to potassium in the diet.
Hypertension Observational studies of large groups of people show that sodium and potassium in the diet are associated with blood pressure.
A review of randomized controlled trials found that the DASH diet Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension that is low sodium and high potassium was effective at lowering blood pressure in those with existing hypertension. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality issued a report on the effects of sodium and potassium on chronic disease risk based on clinical trials and cohort studies. However there was not enough evidence or there was conflicting evidence of their effects on lowering overall risk of hypertension, kidney stones, cardiovascular diseases including stroke, and kidney disease.
Bone health Calcium is one of the most important nutrients required for bone health. Kidney stones A diet rich in potassium helps to prevent calcium from being excreted in the urine, and may also help to prevent calcium from being released from bone into the blood. Is there any research behind Acid-Alkaline Diet claims?
You may have heard of an acid-alkaline diet promoted for weight loss or cancer prevention. Most health experts rejected these claims because it is nearly impossible to dramatically change the pH of blood in healthy people through diet alone.
The body tightly regulates the pH level in blood to about 7.
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