Potassium: The overlooked mineral that keeps your heart and muscles strong

Experts warn that low potassium, often linked to modern diets and medications, can quietly strain the body

Your heart beats over 100,000 times a day, and potassium helps keep every single one of those beats in rhythm. But when this mineral drops below healthy levels, the heart and blood pressure take the biggest hit.

 

Potassium plays a key role in keeping your heart beating steadily, your muscles moving smoothly, and your blood pressure in check. When your body runs low on potassium, a condition known as hypokalaemia, the effects can be serious, even life-threatening.

 

"Nearly 80 per cent of the body’s potassium is stored in the muscles, which is why it plays such a vital role in muscle strength and function. As an essential electrolyte, potassium must be kept in balance as both low and high levels can cause serious health issues," says Dr Gajinder Kumar Goyal, Program Clinical Director-Cardiology, Marengo Asia Hospitals, Faridabad.

 

Spotting the early warning signs

 

Although mild potassium shortage symptoms may not turn out to be severe, it may show some evident symptoms.

 

• Fatigue
• Heart Palpitations
• Tingling and sudden numbness
• Constipation
• Muscle spasms and weakness

 

Besides this, some severe signs and symptoms of low potassium levels include:

 

• Extreme muscle weakness that can result in paralysis
• Polyuria (excessive urine)
• Arrhythmia (abnormal heart rhythm)
• Polydipsia (excessive thirst)
• Muscle cramps
• Muscle twitches
• Hypotension (low BP)
• Frequent fainting/light-headedness

 

"Potassium helps relax blood vessels and balance sodium. Low levels can raise blood pressure by increasing sodium retention. It also interferes with the heart’s electrical signals, leading to irregular heartbeats or dangerous arrhythmias," shares Dr Niranjan Singh, senior consultant for internal medicine at CK Birla Hospitals, Jaipur.

 

Eating habits and deficiency link

 

"A study conducted in the National Capital Region of Delhi stated that only 2.9 per cent of adults in the rural regions meet the necessary sodium-potassium ratio, while those in urban areas reach 6.6 per cent," shared Dr Mukesh Batra, founder and chairman emeritus, Dr Batra’s Healthcare.

 

Packaged food and fast-food meals contain plenty of sodium but almost no potassium. The result? A hidden nutritional gap that increases long-term health risks. "WHO recommends that adults consume at least 3,500 mg potassium daily, but average intake in urban populations is far below this benchmark," adds Dr Anil G Ballani, Physician and internal medicine specialist at Lilavati Hospital, Mumbai.

 

Lack of time translates into a lower consumption of raw fruits, green vegetables, and legumes, which are nature's sources of potassium, he says. "Regular alcohol use, excessive coffee use, and dehydration due to heat also reduce potassium levels. Fad diets and alternate-day fasting without planning are other factors that lead to insufficient intake among young professionals," he shares.

 

Medications and hidden risks

 

Individuals on diuretics are especially exposed to potassium loss since diuretics make one urinate more frequently and deplete minerals, shares Dr Batra. "Certain antibiotics, above normal use of laxatives, binge eating, chronic kidney disease and low magnesium levels can also add to the risk," he says.

 

Meanwhile, some BP medications like ACE inhibitors or ARBs (blood pressure medicines that relax blood vessels) can increase potassium, adds Dr Singh.

 

"Genetic variations affect how efficiently our bodies regulate potassium, some individuals are predisposed to deficiency despite adequate intake. Routine potassium screening, integrated with comprehensive metabolic panels and genetic insights, enables personalized interventions before complications arise," shares Sid Das, co-founder of eGenome.ai, a predictive health technologies firm.

 

Checking potassium levels

 

In a country battling rising hypertension and heart disease rates, potassium levels rarely make it to the standard test panel.

You can check your potassium levels with a simple blood test called a serum potassium test.

Approx. cost: ₹200 – ₹500

  "Detection of the imbalance early on enables early intervention before complications arise. Preventive health check-ups must go beyond glucose and cholesterol to include electrolytes because they are just as critical determinants of cardiovascular and renal well-being," adds Dr Ballani.

 

Restoring balance: Food first, supplements second

 

To restore potassium levels, eat a diet high in potassium-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, beans, Nuts (almond, cashew) and dairy (milk, yogurt), shares Dr Goyal.

• Fruits such as Bananas, oranges, dried apricots, prunes, raisins, cantaloupe, tomatoes, and avocados are good sources of potassium.
• Vegetables like potatoes (especially with skin), sweet potatoes, spinach, broccoli, beans, lentils, and beets also contain potassium.

 

Oral potassium supplements are prescribed when there is more severe deficiency or when patients are on diuretics, says Dr Ballani. "Intravenous replacement under rigorous cardiac monitoring is conducted in severe deficiency as excessive supplementation leads to harmful hyperkalaemia and cardiac arrest. Supplements must therefore never be used outside medical supervision," he cautions.

 

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This report is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.