What are the effects of potassium deficiency?
Potassium is a mineral that helps maintain water and blood and tissue acids, helps building muscles and transmits electrical signals between cells and nerves. Symptoms hypokalaemia or potassium deficiency include dry skin, muscle weakness, fatigue and slow reflexes. If the deficiency develops quickly or is left unchecked, heart problems and paralysis may occur. Hypocalemia is a very serious condition that requires immediate medical attention.
Effects on blood pressure, skin and bones
When a person suffers from a slight lack of potassium, you may not have any symptoms. However, people with low potassium can develop sensitivity to salt or sodium, which can lead to high blood pressure. Abnormally dry skin can also be caused by low potassium because the mineral plays an important role in maintaining fluid levels in cells. Potassium is also necessary for bone health as it prevents alkaline compounds in bones from the use of natural metabolobody acids; Low potassium is associated with an increased risk of osteoporosis.
fatigue, irritability and confusion
people with a lack of potassium may also feel tired and weak. Mineral helps the body to use glucose, its main source of energy, so when this process does not work properly, one can let a person feel felt. In addition to fatigue, when muscles do not have enough energy to function properly, they can be weak and painful.
As an electrolyte, potassium plays a key role in moving electrical pulses throughout the body. When a person has a low potassium, these impulses can slow or do not travel as they should. This can lead to irritability, anxiety, confusion and depression, which can only deteriorate in combination with other effects such as fatigue and weakness.
muscle muscle
Potassium plays a key role in muscle contraction, so the lack of this mineral can cause a number of spitsEducation of symptoms. Slow reflexes, convulsions, twitching and spams are the effects of potassium deficiency. Legs problems during sleep, including the turbulent leg syndrome and Charley horses - strong, sudden cramps in the muscles of the calf - can also be worse in people who don't get enough of this mineral.
over time, severe potassium deficiency can even cause damage to the muscles themselves, causing the fibers to disintegrate. This can lead to rabdomyolysis, a condition in which the proteins from the muscle fiber are released into the bloodstream. These proteins may damage the kidneys and in serious cases cause kidney failure.
problems with paralysis and digestion
Low potassium can also lead to paralysis, because the mineral is essential for the transport of electrical signals that allow muscle movement. Paralysis can occur in any part of the body, but is particularly associated with the digestive system. When parts of this system are paralyzed, food cannot be worried correctly, leading to the stomach and intestine of convulsions, constipationand flatulence.
Thyrotoxic periodic paralysis may also occur, which is due to the excess of the thyroid hormone in the body. Treatment of this excess thyroid hormone increases potassium levels in the body, which should improve muscle weakness and paralysis. Another type of paralysis, hypokalaemic periodic paralysis is a congenital condition caused by low potassium levels. In these cases, the lack of potassium is not caused by disease or diet, but is caused by abnormal transmission of potassium between blood and muscle cells.heart problems
One of the most dangerous effects of potassium deficiency is that it can cause the heart to beat abnormally, called dysrhythmia. A person with dysrythmia can experience a sudden rapid heart rhythm, chebolest and dizziness. This is a potentially life -threatening condition because it can cause cardiac arrest and cause the heart to stop completely beat.
Causes
known causes of hypokalaemia include excessive diarrheaand vomiting. The use of diuretics and laxatives, as well as eating disorders such as bulimia, can cause magnesium deficiency, which may be a contributing factor to the development of this condition. Some antibiotics and other medicines can also cause this condition. Diseases that inhibit the retention capabilities of kidney potassium such as Liddle syndrome, hyperaldosteronism and Cushing syndrome can all cause potassium deficiency, as well as hyperthyroidism, a disease that causes the thyroid to produce too much hormone.
>Treatment
If the lack of potassium can be attributed to a specific disease or vomiting and diarrhea, a medical expert can usually treat basic conditions and ensure that it is sufficient potsium in the diet. If the cause of treatment is, in some cases a change in the regulation may be possible or a high potassium diet may be recommended. Mineral supplements may also be necessary if the patient cannot obtain enough potassiumgrass. In severe cases, potassium may be administered intravenously.
high potassium foods include beef, chicken and fish such as cod, salmon and sardines. Good vegetable sources include peas, tomatoes, leafy vegetables, lima beans and potato leather. Bananas, seaweed, melons, apricots and citrus fruits are also rich in potassium. Dried fruits such as mangoes and apricots provide concentrated potassium sources, as well as nuts and chocolate.