Potassium is extremely important for your overall health. It helps to reduce your chances of a stroke, reduces your risk of kidney stone, maintains your blood pressure as well as helps you maintain your muscle mass.
As per medical standards, a healthy body requires about 4,700 mg potassium. However, WHO maintains that most adults do not have the required amount of potassium in their body.
5 Ways To Tell If You Are Potassium Deficient
1. You Experience Muscle Cramps
Potassium helps in the growth of your muscle tissues and keeps your muscles strong and free of pain. If you regularly feel pain in your muscles, even without too much exercising or exertion, it’s a sign that you are probably short on potassium.
Quick Tip: Eat a baked potato without taking off the skin.
2. You Always Feel Tired
Do you feel you’re always tired, even though you get enough rest and sleep? It probably points towards potassium deficiency. Potassium provides energy to your body cells and helps them function properly. When that doesn’t happen, you end up feeling tired all the time.
Quick Tip: Add greens in your everyday diet, such as spinach and kale.
3. You Always Feel Faint
If you have really low levels of potassium, you could be suffering from a condition known as hypokalemia. In case of severe deficiency, your heartbeat can dip really low and make you feel faint.
Quick Tip: Yogurt can give your potassium levels an instant boost.
4. You Experience Frequent Anxiety
A lack of potassium can also make you feel more stressed and anxious. Potassium helps maintain hormonal balance in your body that can help you feel calm and composed.
Quick Tip: Salmon, tuna, mackerel and avocados can do the trick.
5. You Have An Irregular Heart Beat
Low levels of potassium can suddenly make your heart beat very fast, or cause an irregularity. Potassium also reduces your risk of a stroke as it aids your brain get the amount of oxygen it needs to function properly.
Quick Tip: Raisins and peaches are a good way to increase your potassium levels.
Health Issues That Cause Potassium Deficiency
- Kidney Problems.
- Diarrhea.
- Vomiting and Bulimia.
Do remember that if you have any type of kidney problem, potassium can actually be bad for your overall health. Make sure you speak to your doctor and understand the level of potassium you need to maintain in your body.
