Potassium is a vital mineral needed by the body to function properly. It helps with nerve function and the muscle to contract. This mineral keeps the heartbeat regular and helps move the nutrients into cells while moving waste products out of the cells. The major sources of potassium are leafy green vegetables, root vegetables, fruits from vines, and citrus fruits. The kidneys ensure the right amount of potassium in the body. However, having chronic kidney disease results in the body’s inability to remove extra potassium from the blood. There are medications that help increase potassium levels but you will need a special diet to lower the amount of potassium.
Is Low Potassium a Sign of Cancer? This is one of the most common questions that arise among everyone when experiencing changes in potassium levels. According to the National Library of Medicine, hypokalemia or low potassium is a life-threatening complication that occurs in many patients with cancer. Many other studies show that low potassium is sometimes not an indicator of cancer but can be a side effect of some cancers or their treatments. Hypokalemia has many causes and some of the common causes are medications, diarrhea, vomiting, chronic kidney disease, eating disorders, and more.
Understanding Potassium In The Body
Potassium is an essential mineral as it helps the body function properly. It helps the nerves, muscles, and heart function well and helps move nutrients in cells, and waste products out of cells. Having the right amount of potassium helps prevent kidney stones, protect against strokes and cardiovascular disease, control blood pressure, and lower the risk of osteoporosis.
Remember that, having high or low potassium levels in the body can be dangerous. Potassium is present in all body tissues, and the body gets potassium through food. However, dietary changes and medications can cause potassium levels to lower, which leads to various health complications.
Hypokalemia – Low Potassium
Even though potassium is an essential mineral in the body, having too much or lower potassium levels can be dangerous to the body. Low potassium levels, also known as hypokalemia, refer to lower-than-normal potassium levels in the bloodstream. Having low potassium levels leads to various health complications and can make the muscles weak, cramp, paralyzed, or twitch. It can also cause abnormal heart rhythms.
Hypokalemia is normally associated with cardiac disease, shock, renal failure, or malnutrition. Psychiatric patients are at the risk of getting hypokalemia the most, due to eating disorders and drug side effects. You might experience various symptoms such as fatigue, constipation, muscle weakness, tingling or numbness, nausea, vomiting, abdominal bloating, low blood pressure, and pressure. If you notice that potassium levels are low or experience these symptoms, seek medical help quickly.
Common Causes Of Low Potassium
Some common causes of low potassium are;
- Certain medications.
- Excessive sweating.
- Diarrhea.
- Diuretics (water retention relievers).
- High blood pressure.
- Vomiting.
- Having low levels of magnesium in the blood.
- Drinking too much alcohol.
- Having folic acid deficiency.
- Malnutrition.
- Taking laxatives often.
- Taking asthma medications.
The Relationship Between Cancer And Potassium Levels
In most cancer patients, an increase or decrease in potassium levels is observed. Dysfunction of potassium channels is related to tumor progression. Cancers that affect kidney functions or cause gastrointestinal symptoms are mostly caused by low potassium levels.
As we age, potassium leaves the cells and sodium enters them, increasing the risk of cancer. Hypokalemia or low potassium levels are not often a direct sign of cancer and can be associated with various health issues. However, certain cancers and treatments, such as chemotherapy might cause electrolyte imbalances and low potassium levels. Even though there is no direct link between potassium levels and cancer, hypokalemia is a life-threatening complication that occurs in many patients with cancer.
Many studies show that colon cancer can directly lead to potassium levels. This happens when the cancer causes chronic diarrhea or if the tumor affects the colon’s ability to absorb nutrients and electrolytes effectively. Hypokalemia is mostly observed in patients with breast cancer, prostate cancer renal cancer, and paraneoplastic syndrome.
Diagnosing The Causes Of Low Potassium
Potassium deficiency can be diagnosed with a blood test. Hypokalemia can be caused by not getting enough potassium through the diet. To check for hypokalemia, the doctor will need to identify the cause of potassium loss. The doctor checks for recent diarrhea, vomiting, heart problems, and medications, such as insulin, that increase urine production, or that help open the airway.
Then, the doctor will run tests to measure the amount of potassium levels in the morning. This is usually done by checking the potassium levels in a person’s urine over 24 hours. If the tests show that there is a potassium deficiency, the doctor will ask to do more tests to find out the cause.
Treatment For Low Potassium
Normally, if the condition is mild, the doctors will prescribe oral potassium pills. But if the condition is severe, you will need to get potassium through a vein (IV). A supplement like potassium chloride helps prevent and treat low potassium. There are fruits and vegetables that help improve potassium levels naturally.
Some of them include avocados, spinach, apples, oranges, bananas, kale, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, beans, peas, milk, yogurt, fish, meat, carrots, and cucumber. Eating more leafy vegetables and drinking fruit juices is an easy and effective way to improve potassium levels. Also, citrus juices seem to be the most effective source of potassium.
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Prevention Strategies To Follow
A healthy, balanced diet helps prevent potassium deficiency. Try eating foods that are rich in potassium to help prevent hypokalemia. However, if you are taking medications like diuretics or other medications, talk to your doctor regarding the potassium levels. If you have vomiting or diarrhea, drink plenty of fluids to prevent potassium deficiency.
If you are taking medications that make you pee a lot, consult the doctor and take potassium supplements. Also, avoid drinking too much alcohol. To conclude, healthy eating habits are the best and easiest way to prevent hypokalemia. Drink more citrus juices, eat more leafy vegetables, and add potassium-rich foods to your diet.
Other Health Conditions That Can Cause Low Potassium
Some health conditions that can cause low potassium levels include eating disorders, Liddle syndrome, chronic kidney disease, Fanconi syndrome, barter syndrome, Cushing’s syndrome, and diabetic ketoacidosis. Common causes of low potassium levels are dietary changes and medications. Even a lower level of potassium drop can cause mild to moderate symptoms.
The Bottom Line
Potassium is a vital mineral that ensures the proper functioning of the heart, muscles, nerves, and more. Potassium plays an important role in the body, as it helps maintain healthy blood pressure levels, controls muscle contractions, ensures optimal water balance within the system, transmits nerve signals between the organic, balances pH levels in the body, and protects against strokes and cardiovascular diseases.
Potassium levels are often affected by dietary changes, physical activity, and medications. Having low or high potassium levels can be dangerous to the body. So, maintaining healthy potassium levels is necessary. Low potassium levels or hypokalemia can cause fatigue, muscle cramps, abnormal heart rhythms, weakness, constipation, numbness, and more. Often, low potassium levels are not associated with cancer, but hypokalemia or low potassium is a life-threatening complication that occurs in many patients with cancer.
If you notice any symptoms of low potassium, consult the doctor immediately. If the condition is mild, the doctor prescribes potassium supplements, and if the condition is severe, the doctor recommends getting potassium through a vein (IV). There are plenty of natural ways to improve potassium levels, such as eating fruits and vegetables rich in potassium. Healthy eating habits are the best and easiest way to improve potassium levels naturally.
Also, to prevent potassium deficiency, drink more fluids and take potassium supplements if you have frequent urination or are taking medications that make you urinate often. Avoid drinking too much alcohol and focus on maintaining a healthy diet to prevent hypokalemia and other health complications.
Frequently Asked Questions
Various health conditions associated with low potassium levels include eating disorders, kidney disease, Cushing’s syndrome, Fanconi syndrome, Liddle syndrome, Gitelman syndrome, Bartter syndrome, diarrhea, excessive sweating, diabetic ketoacidosis, and vomiting.
People with kidney diseases are at risk for low potassium levels. Chronic kidney disease can cause a potassium deficiency. This is because the kidneys won’t be able to control the amount of potassium in the blood.
Those with any kind of cancer are at the risk of hypokalemia. Patients with kidney, thyroid, prostate, stomach, and breast cancer have lower levels of potassium due to health complications and the side effects of the treatment.
The most common cause of potassium loss is through urination. Medications that increase urination cause excessive potassium levels. Also, medications like diuretics, prescribed for those with high blood pressure and heart disease, cause potassium levels to drop.
While some do not experience any symptoms due to potassium deficiency, others will notice weak muscles, muscle cramps, and abnormal heart rhythm. Also, frequent urination, constipation, and fatigue are other symptoms of low potassium.
