What is a Normal Potassium Level for Seniors? In general, a normal potassium level for a senior is 3.5-5.0 grams per liter of blood. It can vary from person to person, but this is a good baseline value to shoot for.
The reference ranges for blood potassium levels are as follows : Adult/elderly: 3.5-5.0 mEq/L or 3.5-5.0 mmol/L (SI units) Child: 3.4-4.7 mEq/L.
Potassium is measured in milliequivalents per liter (mEq/L). Normal results are about: 3.5 to 5.2 mEq/L for adults. 3.4 to 4.7 mEq/L for children ages 1 to 18 years old.
The Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine recommends that seniors have a diet of at least 4.7 grams of potassium each day.
Potassium is a chemical that is critical to the function of nerve and muscle cells, including those in your heart. Your blood potassium level is normally 3.6 to 5.2 millimoles per liter (mmol/L). Having a blood potassium level higher than 6.0 mmol/L can be dangerous and usually requires immediate treatment.
Some symptoms of high potassium levels include muscle weakness; diarrhea; weak, slow, or irregular pulse; paresthesia; abdominal cramping; nausea; irritability; or even sudden collapse.
Seniors who do not eat healthy food or with certain metabolic conditions can develop malnutrition. It makes it more difficult for them to maintain the body's potassium level as they lack the nutrients to do so.
You can take a potassium test at home, either with a blood or urine sample. If using a 24-hour urine test, you will need to collect your urine wherever you are during the day. For blood tests, you often need to visit a local laboratory to have your sample collected.
Low potassium (hypokalemia) has many causes. The most common cause is excessive potassium loss in urine due to prescription medications that increase urination. Also known as water pills or diuretics, these types of medications are often prescribed for people who have high blood pressure or heart disease.
Eat a high-potassium diet, which includes foods such as avocados, bananas, broccoli, spinach, granola, kidney beans, milk, nuts, oranges, peanut butter, potatoes, pumpkin, raisins, tomatoes, and tuna. Ask a doctor about potassium supplements.
Normally, your blood potassium level is 3.6 to 5.2 millimoles per liter (mmol/L). A very low potassium level (less than 2.5 mmol/L ) can be life-threatening and requires urgent medical attention.
Avoid black-eyed peas, dried beans, cooked greens, spinach, yams, and sweet potato pie. All are high in potassium.
Several factors contribute to variations in serum potassium levels. A study showed that serum potassium was lowest in the evening (around 9 p.m.) and highest in the early afternoon (1 – 3 p.m.) [8].
Water pills (diuretics) help rid your body of extra potassium. They work by making your kidney create more urine. Potassium is normally removed through urine. Potassium binders often come in the form of a powder.
Food Sources
Potassium is widely available in many foods, especially fruits and vegetables. Leafy greens, beans, nuts, dairy foods, and starchy vegetables like winter squash are rich sources.
The contribution of drinking water to potassium intake is negligible.
Older adults should talk to their doctors before taking potassium supplements. Side effects can include diarrhea, stomach irritation, and nausea. At higher doses, muscle weakness, slowed heart rate, and abnormal heart rhythm may occur.
It is often due to a paraneoplastic syndrome, related to several kinds of tumors. It is most frequently reported in patients with small-cell lung cancer, but it is also described in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer, head and neck cancer, and, rarely, other malignancies.
After the age of 40, Hypernatremia or a rise in serum sodium concentration, Hyponatremia or a situation where the concentration of sodium in the blood is low and Hypo/Hyperkalemia, meaning low/high level potassium, are the most common electrolyte abnormalities found in the elderly.
Constipation. Potassium plays an important role in relaying messages from the brain to the muscles and regulating muscle contractions. Low potassium levels can affect the muscles in the intestines, which can slow the passage of food and waste. This effect on the intestines can cause constipation and bloating.