Does Potassium Deficiency Really Cause Cramps?
3 min read
Asked by: Jennifer Chandler
Potassium helps start and stop muscle contractions. Low blood potassium levels can affect this balance, causing uncontrolled and prolonged contractions known as cramps.
Does your legs hurt when your potassium is low?
Muscle weakness and cramp
Potassium deficiency can reduce the effectiveness of various muscles in the body, including those in the arms and legs. It can contribute to muscle cramps, for example, as well as muscle weakness.
How do you feel when your potassium is low?
A small drop in potassium level often does not cause symptoms, which may be mild, and may include:
- Constipation.
- Feeling of skipped heart beats or palpitations.
- Fatigue.
- Muscle damage.
- Muscle weakness or spasms.
- Tingling or numbness.
How do you stop low potassium cramps?
Eating potassium-rich foods like bananas may help prevent symptoms of low potassium, like muscle spasms.
But there are certain things you can do to relieve the pain and spasms while they’re happening, including:
- Stretching and Massaging the Area. …
- Eat Potassium-Rich Foods. …
- Ask Your Doctor About a Supplement. …
- Exercise.
How can I raise my potassium quickly?
In addition to bananas, common foods with high potassium content include potatoes, sweet potatoes, avocados, turkey, dried apricots, leafy greens, dried peas and beans. If you plan your meals to regularly include these and other high-potassium foods, you’ll be less likely to need a quick potassium boost.
What is the most common cause of low potassium?
Low potassium (hypokalemia) has many causes. The most common cause is excessive potassium loss in urine due to prescription medications that increase urination. Also known as water pills or diuretics, these types of medications are often prescribed for people who have high blood pressure or heart disease.
Why does my potassium keep dropping?
Low blood potassium typically occurs because of an excessive loss of potassium in your digestive tract. This may be due to frequent vomiting, diarrhea or laxative use. Other causes of hypokalemia include: Eating disorders, such as bulimia nervosa.
How long does it take to get potassium levels up?
Usually, 60–80 mmol of supplements per day for a few days to weeks is sufficient for treating mild to moderate hypokalemia. That said, always follow the recommendations of your healthcare professional ( 1 , 19 ). In severe hypokalemia cases, intravenous (IV) treatment may be recommended.
What drinks are high in potassium?
Juice from potassium-rich fruit is also a good choice:
- Orange juice.
- Tomato juice.
- Prune juice.
- Apricot juice.
- Grapefruit juice.
What drinks are high in potassium?
Juice from potassium-rich fruit is also a good choice:
- Orange juice.
- Tomato juice.
- Prune juice.
- Apricot juice.
- Grapefruit juice.
How can I test my potassium levels at home?
There are limited or no options for at-home kits to test potassium levels. If you are prescribed a 24-hour urine test, you will need to collect your urine wherever you are during the day, including at home.
What diseases cause low potassium?
Several syndromes can be associated with low potassium, such as:
- Cushing’s syndrome.
- Gitelman syndrome.
- Liddle syndrome.
- Bartter syndrome.
- Fanconi syndrome.
Why does my potassium keep dropping?
Low blood potassium typically occurs because of an excessive loss of potassium in your digestive tract. This may be due to frequent vomiting, diarrhea or laxative use. Other causes of hypokalemia include: Eating disorders, such as bulimia nervosa.
How long does it take to recover from low potassium?
Usually, 60–80 mmol of supplements per day for a few days to weeks is sufficient for treating mild to moderate hypokalemia. That said, always follow the recommendations of your healthcare professional ( 1 , 19 ). In severe hypokalemia cases, intravenous (IV) treatment may be recommended.
