Too Much Potassium
Is It Possible To Have Too Much Potassium In Your Body?
It is indeed possible to have too much potassium in your body, although having a deficiency of this vital mineral is far more common. Most of our population has a potassium level that is either, in the normal range, or slightly below that range. Very few have an excessive level of potassium, but we'll take a look at the circumstances under which such a condition might occur.
Potassium is essential for our existence. Every cell in our body needs potassium to function properly. One might think that since potassium is both needed, and beneficial, more is therefore better. That's not the case, and too much potassium can lead to a variety of symptoms, some of which can be quite severe.
Among the primary causes if excess potassium are kidney malfunctions, the taking of diuretic medicines, or ingestion of potassium supplements when the level of potassium in the body is already high. For example, if your diet consists of many foods having high potassium content, the foods themselves generally are not a cause for harm, but if you were to take multiple vitamin supplements containing potassium, you could exceed recommended levels.
Where the kidneys come into play is when, for whatever reason, they are unable to efficiently metabolize minerals in the body. A build up of these minerals, including potassium, will occur. This often happens as a result of kidney failure. People who suffer from diabetes can also be faced with the problem of accumulating too much potassium.
Potassium supplements, or high levels of potassium in the diet, may cause an excess when certain medications are being taken. One reason for frequent blood tests when taking these medications is the importance of knowing if any build up of potassium, or other elements in the body's chemical make-up, is occurring, due to diet or the ingestion of supplements.
Potassium and sodium levels must be kept in balance, and disease can cause the level of one or the other of these vital elements to become either excessive or deficient. Addison's disease, as an example, upsets the body's control mechanism, and can cause the excretion of sodium, which will result in a high build up of potassium. Taking supplements, or following a high potassium diet, when suffering from this disease can cause a build up of too much potassium, to the point where the situation may become life threatening.
If you are concerned about your diet, some foods rich in potassium are potatoes, bananas, nuts, beans and squash. Most fruits and vegetables are also high in potassium. Breads, cake, pasta, rice, and noodles are among the foods lower in potassium. You need not necessarily stick only with the latter. You can generally eat some of the high potassium foods, but in low amounts. It's very difficult to find a diet that is extremely low in potassium, so the size of the serving portions plays a role.
If you do suffer from too much potassium, it is really very important that you be under a doctor's care. A nutritionist will also be a valuable resource in helping you design a low potassium diet.