Potassium Deficiency Symptoms
and Symptoms of High Potassium
Potassium deficiency symptoms can result in Hypokalemia or low levels of potassium in your blood. One way to avoid hypokalemia is to include enough potassium rich foods in your diet every day.
Hyperkalemia or symptoms of high potassium is the opposite of hypokalemia and results in high levels of potassium in the blood. Hypokalemia and Hyperkalemia are common electrolyte disorders caused by changes in your potassium intake, altered excretion of potassium, or a transcellular shift of potassium.
You are more likely to experience Hypokalemia or potassium deficiency symptoms, because most people are suffering from potassium deficiency symptoms due to changes in our diet for the last few decades. However, your odds of developing Hyperkalemia are pretty high with certain lifestyle choices.
Potassium Deficiency Symptoms
or Hypokalemia
- Constipation and Feeling Thirsty
- Irregular Heartbeat
- High Blood Pressure and Tremors
- Hypertension
- Frequent Loss of Urine
- Nervous Behavior and Hallucinations
- Hormone Fluctuations
- Mentally Confused and Memory Loss
- Dry Skin and Edema
- Acne Problems
- Lethargic and Feeling Tired
- Low Blood Pressure and Fainting
- Cardiac Arrest and Paralysis
- High Cholesterol Levels
- Nausea and Vomiting
- Chills and Weakness
- Leg Cramps and Muscle Cramps
- Depression and Insomnia
- Shallow Respiration and Respiratory Distress
- Tingling and Numbness
- Headaches and Irritability
Reasons for Hypokalemia
 Salty Foods, Fast Foods, and Processed Foods Lack of Fresh Whole Foods and Inadequate Potassium Intake Toxins and GMOs  Overuse of Diuretics like Coffee, Alcohol, or Drugs Prolonged Use of Laxatives Intestinal Disorders Adrenal Gland Disorder or Cushing's Disease |
 Profuse Sweating and Fluid Loss Having the Flu High Amounts of Stress Taking Antibiotics or Steroids Tobacco Use Diarrhea and Vomiting Anorexia Nervosa Prolonged Fasting |
 High Amounts of Sugar in Diet Experiencing High Blood Sugar or Diabetic Ketoacidosis Extreme Dieting |
 Excessive Water Drinking Water Enemas
Being too Alkaline and Alkalosis Magnesium Deficiency |
Low Carb Diets and Potassium Deficiency Symptoms
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Hypokalemia and potassium deficiency symptoms are common on low carb diets. And it's also very common when you go through the Keto flu on a Ketogenic diet to experience potassium deficiency symptoms. You see when you dramatically lower the amount of carbohydrates in your diet and increase fat consumption, your body will create ketones. Which is similar to what happens during a Fast or during Diabetic Ketoacidosis. Which leads to the depletion of important electrolytes in your body. Low carb diets and low insulin will cause your body to excrete potassium and sodium along with a lot of water. |
Basically, low carb diets cause a depletion of glycogen which your body uses to store glucose. Glucose activates insulin and the sodium-potassium pump which pulls potassium into your cells. Low carb diets have the opposite effect and will actually pull potassium out of your cells. Because lower glycogen equals less water retention which causes you to pee more. The irony is that potassium and water are essential for Ketogenesis which is the burning of fat for energy. And ketogenesis occurs constantly in healthy individuals! |
What is a Normal Potassium Level?
The normal range for a potassium blood level is 3.5 to 5.1 mEq/liter or milliequivalents per liter.
Hypokalemia occurs when a potassium blood level falls below the
3.5 level. There is a possibility that 1 out of
5 people hospitalized in the United States have a low potassium blood
level. A 2.5 blood potassium level is considered "life threatening".
Hyperkalemia or too much potassium in the blood occurs when your potassium blood level is above the 5.1 level. A blood level above 5.5 will be defined as hyperkalemia. Hyperkalemia can also be a life threatening problem and above 7.0 is considered dangerous requiring immediate intervention.
Symptoms of High Potassium
or Hyperkalemia
- Low Urine Production
- Kidney or Renal Failure
- Low Blood Pressure
- Extreme Fatigue
- Muscle Twitching and Cramps
- Adrenal Failure
- Difficulty Breathing
- Metabolic Acidosis
- Weak Pulse or Heart Failure
Reasons for Hyperkalemia
 Diet too High in Sugar that causes Insulin Resistance or Diabetes Too Much Potassium Foods or Potassium Supplements High Amounts of Exercise Injury, Trauma, and Burns Anything that injures or causes your muscles to break down can release a high amount of potassium from your muscle cells into your bloodstream. Also, when your body contains too much acid from certain types of acidosis, potassium is moved out of your cells and can produce hyperkalemia. It's normal for 98% of the potassium in your body to be found in your cells (aka intracellular) of various tissues. Usually only 2% of potassium is
in extracellular fluids and in blood plasma. |
 Certain Medications and Drugs Anti-inflammatory Drugs, Potassium Sparing Diuretics, ACE Inhibitors, and Beta Blockers Supplements like Amino Acids and Hawthorne Berry  Consuming Too Much Alcohol (especially with drugs) Metabolic Acidosis Adrenal Failure or Addison's Disease Renal Failure or Kidney Failure |
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When hyperkalemia happens, it's usually from an increase in the amount of potassium intake coming into the body or an increase from the intracellular potassium into your blood. And anything that impairs the mechanisms to remove this extra potassium from the blood or excrete extra potassium (like with kidney problems) will also cause hyperkalemia. |
Go to What is Potassium to Sodium - Ideal Ratio?
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