People with chronic kidney disease need to limit the amount of potassium they consume. They may want to consider avoiding or limiting certain high-potassium foods. Medications used to treat kidney disease can also raise potassium levels.
Eating too much food that is high in potassium can cause problems in some people, especially in people with kidney disease. Ask your healthcare provider or dietitian how much potassium is right for you. Eating too much can be harmful, but having too little can cause problems, too.
Accordingly, the major risk factors for hyperkalemia are renal failure, diabetes mellitus, adrenal disease and the use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers or potassium-sparing diuretics.
Having kidney disease can make it harder for your body to maintain a healthy potassium level of 3.5-5.0 mEq/L if you're living with CKD or 3.5-5.5 mEq/L if you have ESRD. If lab results show that your potassium level is too high, you'll need to limit high potassium foods and concentrate on a low potassium diet.
If hyperkalemia comes on suddenly and you have very high levels of potassium, you may feel heart palpitations, shortness of breath, chest pain, nausea, or vomiting. Sudden or severe hyperkalemia is a life-threatening condition. It requires immediate medical care.
This group of medications includes lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril), enalapril (Vasotec), and quinapril (Accupril). One way ACE inhibitors raise potassium levels is by blocking the release of aldosterone, a hormone that usually promotes the removal of potassium from the body, through the urine.
High potassium foods to limit: Potato crisps, chocolate, fudge, nuts. Biscuits and cakes containing lots of dried fruit, nuts or chocolate. Lower potassium choices: Corn, rice, wheat or maize based snacks, popcorn, boiled or jelly sweets, marshmallows, mints.
Be cautious – Soul food is often high in potassium. Avoid black-eyed peas, dried beans, cooked greens, spinach, yams, and sweet potato pie. All are high in potassium.
Oat/rice milk, cream, crème fraiche, cheese is low in potassium. Drinks Coffee, malted drinks e.g. Ovaltine/Horlicks, drinking chocolate, cocoa, fruit and vegetable juices, smoothies, wine, beer, cider and stout. Tea, herbal tea, squash/cordial, flavoured water, fizzy drinks, spirits.
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.
One serving of avocado provides 250 milligrams of potassium, 6% of your daily potassium needs, which is responsible for proper nerve, heart, and kidney function.
Include lean meats such as salmon and other fish, chicken, and turkey—each provide over 400 milligrams of potassium for every 3-ounce portion. While it is important to consume foods rich in potassium, be aware of hidden sources of sodium in canned vegetables and legumes.
How much potassium is in an egg? One large egg contains about 63 mg of potassium. 11 Eggs are considered a low-potassium food but check with your doctor or dietitian to find out how often you should eat them.
Excessive water consumption may lead to depletion of potassium, which is an essential nutrient.
During exercise, skeletal muscle loses potassium during repetitive action potentials. Because skeletal muscles constitute the major reservoir for potassium in the body, potassium level may increase markedly and attain values up to around 8 mmol/L that may be sustained during exercise.
Low potassium vegetables include cilantro, alfalfa sprouts, lettuce, arugula, kale, Napa cabbage, leeks, spaghetti squash, sweet onions, eggplant, and more.
In some people, potassium can cause stomach upset, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, or intestinal gas. Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Potassium is likely safe to consume in amounts typically found in the diet when pregnant or breast-feeding.
Some symptoms of high potassium levels include muscle weakness; diarrhea; weak, slow, or irregular pulse; paresthesia; abdominal cramping; nausea; irritability; or even sudden collapse.
Dehydration (which is when the body doesn't have enough water and other fluids to work properly) Destruction of red blood cells due to severe injury or burns. Excessive use of potassium supplements. Type 1 diabetes.