Content

• Steps
• Warning

The body uses potassium for everything from maintaining fluid balance to maintaining brain and cardiovascular function. Although there are many potassium-rich foods available, many people find themselves in a situation where you can get only 1/2 of the recommended amount. Understanding the symptoms of a potassium deficiency and knowing the safest way to boost your potassium supplement will make it easier to reduce low potassium levels.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Identify signs of a low potassium concentration

1. 

   Know the symptoms of low potassium. Excess or deficiency of potassium in the blood can lead to health complications. Low levels of potassium in the blood are called hypokalemia. Hypokalaemia can lead to muscle weakness, abnormal heart rhythms, and slight increases in blood pressure. Other symptoms include:
   • Constipation
   • Tired
   • Muscle contractions
   • Muscle tingling or numbness

2. 

   
   
   Be aware of the common cause of low blood potassium. Many health problems can contribute to lowering blood potassium levels. You may experience hypokalaemia due to:
   • Take an antibiotic
   • Have diarrhea or vomiting
   • Sweating too much
   • Using too much laxative
   • Have chronic kidney disease
   • Use diuretics (water pills) to treat heart failure and high blood pressure
   • Eating disorder
   • Low magnesium concentration

3. 

   
   
   Be careful with signs of hyperkalemia. Hyperkalemia means too much potassium in the blood. This usually only has a few conspicuous symptoms such as nausea, weak or abnormal pulse, or an excessively low heart rate. If you have a diet high in potassium and experience the above symptoms, you should see your doctor immediately.
   • The kidneys are the organs that help to remove excess potassium from the urine. In other words, hyperkalemia is more common in people with kidney disease, people with Addison's disease, people taking blood pressure medications, people with hemolytic anemia, people with tumors.
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Method 2 of 3: Add potassium to your diet

1. 

   
   
   See a doctor. If you suspect that your potassium levels are low, you should see your doctor before taking supplements or other ways to increase your potassium levels. When you change your diet, you may over-increase potassium and lead to excess potassium in your diet. Experts recommend a balanced diet containing 4700 mg of potassium per day. Your doctor will perform appropriate blood tests to determine actual potassium levels in the blood and give instructions based on test results.
   • In most cases, treatment will include adding potassium-rich foods to your diet.
   • Follow your doctor's recommendations strictly to avoid adding too much potassium to your diet.

2. 

   Naturally restores potassium levels. If you have experienced a recent drop in potassium levels such as diarrhea, vomiting or sick sweating, or have taken antibiotics for a short time, your potassium levels usually return to normal levels once you get well. Your doctor may recommend a potassium-rich supplement instead of taking supplements until you are well again.

3. 

   Include dairy products in your diet. Dairy products provide the most abundant source of potassium in one serving. For example, one cup of yogurt contains about 579 mg of potassium. One cup of skim milk contains 382 mg of potassium.
   • Opt for fat-free milk (if possible) as high-fat milk dramatically increases your daily calorie intake.
   • Do not take a dairy supplement if you are lactose intolerant. You can still get potassium from many other sources.

4. 

   Eat more potassium-rich fruits. Fruit is an excellent source of potassium. Be sure to always choose a potassium-rich fruit, however, as not all fruits contain potassium. Foods rich in potassium include:
   • 422 mg of potassium in one medium-sized banana
   • 390 mg of potassium in one papaya
   • 378 mg in 2 medium-sized apricots
   • 368 mg in a cup of cantaloupe
   • 355 mg of potassium in 3/4 cup of orange juice
   • 273 mg in 1/4 cup raisins
   • 254 mg in 1 cup of strawberries

5. 

   Increase your intake of potassium-rich vegetables. Fruit is not the only source of potassium. You can get potassium with a variety of common vegetables such as:
   • 925 mg of potassium in a medium-sized baked potato with its skin intact, and 610 mg in a unshelled potato
   • 694 mg of potassium in one large sweet potato
   • 517 mg of potassium in 3/4 cup of carrot juice
   • 448 mg of potassium in 1/2 cup squash
   • 419 mg in 1/2 cup of spinach (spinach)
   • 417 mg in 3/4 cup of tomato juice (or 300 mg in a large tomato)
   • 312 mg of potassium in one stem of celery
   • 278 mg in 1/2 cup of broccoli
   • 267 mg in 1/2 cup of beets

6. 

   Increase your intake of potassium-rich meat. Although not as rich in potassium as vegetables and fruits, meat also contains a considerable amount of potassium. The amount of potassium in a 90 g serving of meat is:
   • 383 mg of potassium in chicken
   • 290 mg of potassium in beef
   • 259 mg of potassium in lamb
   • 250 mg of potassium in turkey meat

7. 

   Increase in seafood rich in potassium. Fish is also a good source of potassium. A serving of 90 g of fish contains:
   • 484 mg of potassium in canned salmon or tuna
   • Average 375 mg of potassium in most other fish

8. 

   Add in beans and seeds rich in potassium. Many beans and nuts are also rich in potassium. Besides, they also help supplement protein, fiber and other minerals. Beans and seeds rich in potassium include:
   • 400 mg in 1/2 cup of cooked Pinto beans
   • 365 mg of potassium in 1/2 cup of cooked lentils
   • 340 mg of potassium in 1/2 cup of nuts
   • 241 mg in 1/4 cup of sunflower seeds
   • 208 mg of potassium in 2 tablespoons of peanut butter

9. 

   Use molasses when preparing food. Although uncommon, molasses is rich in nutrients and contains up to 498 mg of potassium per teaspoon. Simply sprinkle molasses over yogurt, oatmeal, or smoothies to easily boost your potassium intake.

10. 

    Be aware of foods low in potassium. Besides being aware of potassium-rich foods, you also need to be aware of popular foods low in potassium. Some of them are still healthy, but if you need potassium, these foods may not be a good choice. Low-potassium foods include:
    • 0 mg of potassium in black olives (black olives also contain a lot of sodium)
    • 3 mg of potassium in 1 teaspoon of butter
    • 20-30 mg of potassium in 30 g of cheese
    • 45 mg of potassium in 90 g of bacon (bacon is also high in sodium)
    • 50 mg in 1/2 cup of blueberries
    • 55 mg of potassium in one egg
    • 69 mg of potassium in a slice of bread
    • 72 mg of potassium in 10 medium sized grapes
    • 81 mg in 3/4 cup pasta
    • 90 mg in 1/2 cup of apple sauce
    • 100 mg of potassium in 1/4 cup of corn
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Method 3 of 3: Use Medical Treatments

1. 

   Talk to your doctor about potassium replacement therapy. One of the biggest risks of low potassium is a heart rhythm disturbance. The elderly and people with cardiovascular disease have a higher risk of arrhythmias. If low levels of potassium are suspected, the doctor may conduct tests to rule out other conditions such as tubular acidosis, Cushing's syndrome, hypocalcemia, and proceed with confirmation of the diagnosis. .
   • Your doctor may perform blood tests to check your electrolyte, glucose, calcium, and phosphorus levels.
   • If you are taking heart disease medications, such as Digitalis for heart health, your doctor will test your Digoxin levels.
   • Your doctor may also order an electrocardiogram to detect abnormal heart rhythms (if any).

2. 

   Get IV potassium replacement therapy. If it is determined that you have severe potassium deficiency, arrhythmia, or severe symptoms, your doctor will administer an intravenous potassium injection. Potassium will be given into the body very slowly and under the supervision of a doctor to make sure it does not affect the heart.
   • Intravenous therapy can cause immediate discomfort where the injection is given.

3. 

   Take potassium supplements in tablet or liquid form. You can take potassium mostly in pill, liquid or powder form. Many multivitamins also contain potassium. Be sure to follow the correct dose of potassium recommended by your doctor to avoid overdose or missed dose. From there, you can make sure to maintain healthy potassium levels.
   • Since your diet may contain too much potassium, you should consult your doctor before taking a potassium supplement. Your doctor may order several blood tests to determine how much potassium to add in your diet.
   • Your doctor may prescribe a potassium supplement to take with medications that lower potassium levels. In the case of prescribing potassium-lowering medications, your doctor may recommend additional supplements, even if potassium is in the normal range.

4. 

   Follow your doctor's instructions. Your doctor may order additional tests, check potassium levels, and check if prescription medications are working. Additional testing is usually 2-3 days after the first treatment. advertisement

Warning

• Be careful when self-supplementing potassium.It is possible that you will add too much potassium, leading to health problems and side effects, including heart problems. People with kidney disease do not take potassium supplements without the supervision of a doctor.