Potassium, also, draws water out of the body. So when potassium is in your colon it attracts water and pulls it into the fecal matter. This makes your fecal matter softer and easier to move along the colon.
Potassium helps to relay messages from the brain to the muscles that regulate muscle contractions. For example, low potassium levels can affect the muscles in the intestines, which then slows the passage of food and waste. In turn, this causes bloating and constipation.
Digestive problems
With low potassium levels, contractions in the digestive system may become weaker and slow the movement of food. This could cause digestive problems, like bloating and constipation. In particular, constipation is most associated with severe hypokalemia ( 2 ).
Rhythmic intestinal contractions are essential for digestion, nutrient absorption and waste elimination. As an electrolyte, potassium allows all muscles to contract, including those in the intestines. A lack of potassium inhibits intestinal motility and compromises healthy digestion.
Your Heart and Other Muscles
Because it's a muscle, your heart needs potassium. It helps cells send the right electrical signals so that the heart pumps correctly. Having too much potassium in the body can alter the heart's rhythm.
For most people, the level of potassium in your blood should be between 3.5 and 5.0, depending on the laboratory that is used. If high potassium happens suddenly and you have very high levels, you may feel heart palpitations, shortness of breath, chest pain, nausea, or vomiting.
Hyperkalemia can also have a negative impact on your digestive health. For some people, too much potassium may bring along symptoms such as vomiting, nausea, and stomach pain. It can also cause loose stools.
Potassium can reduce bloating by decreasing water retention in the body. Water retention, also known as fluid retention or oedema, occurs when excess fluid builds up in the circulatory system, or within tissues and cavities. Potassium reduces water retention by removing excess sodium (salt) from the body.
What happens if I don't get enough potassium? Getting too little potassium can increase blood pressure, deplete calcium in bones, and increase the risk of kidney stones.
You need potassium to keep your muscles, nerves and heart working well. You also need potassium for a healthy digestive system and bone health. Low levels of potassium can affect these important functions in your body.
Adults should consume about 3,500mg of potassium per day, according to the UK's National Health Service. The average banana, weighing 125g, contains 450mg of potassium, meaning a healthy person can consume at least seven-and-half bananas before reaching the recommended level.
The most common adverse reactions to oral potassium salts are nausea, vomiting, flatulence, abdominal pain/discomfort and diarrhea. These symptoms are due to irritation of the gastrointestinal tract and are best managed by taking the dose with meals or reducing the amount taken at one time.
Potassium chloride (Klor-Con) can be taken any time of day, but be sure to take it with food and plenty of fluids to minimize upset stomach. The recommendation is avoid taking it within 30 minutes of laying down, since the medication could end up siting in your stomach longer and causing irritation.
The most common side effects of potassium citrate are gastrointestinal. Potassium citrate can be irritating to the stomach. Potassium citrate may cause an upset stomach, nausea or vomiting, and diarrhea or loose stools. These side effects may get better as your body adjusts to the medication.
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. However, this testing is still prescribed by your doctor rather than sold as a separate at-home test kit.
Excessive water consumption may lead to depletion of potassium, which is an essential nutrient. This may cause symptoms like leg pain, irritation, chest pain, et al.
You should not take this medicine if you are also using atropine, benztropine (Cogentin®), glycopyrrolate (Robinul®), or a diuretic or "water pill" (such as amiloride, spironolactone, triamterene, Aldactone®, Dyrenium®, or Midamor®). Using these medicines together may cause serious problems.
Studies have shown that potassium supplements may boost sleeping through the night, but good food sources are beans, leafy greens, avocados, baked potatoes, and to a lesser degree, bananas.
Urine contains many by-products of waste, especially potassium. Potassium is most likely the cause of irritation in the bladder. Symptoms seem to increase when allergy seasons occur, or when the patient eats foods rich in potassium.
Potassium levels can be tested with a blood test or a urine test. Urine potassium can be checked in a single urine sample. But it is more often measured in a 24-hour urine sample. Your doctor will decide if a urine or blood sample is needed.