8 Signs You Have a Potassium Deficiency
Here’s what to look out if you suspect you might have a potassium deficiency.
1. Chronic Fatigue
Many lifestyle factors can contribute to fatigue. If, however, you regularly get 7-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep and still feel tired all the time, it may be due to inadequate potassium. Because potassium conducts electricity, it regulates how cells use and transmit energy. Fatigue may be due to cells not interacting as well as they should (and need to).
2. Hypertension
Potassium resides inside blood vessels and relaxes them. Sodium stays mostly outside of cells and promotes fluid retention.
This relationship translates to alternating blood vessel constriction and increased pressure. (4) Maintaining a balance between the two maximizes the transmission of electricity and regulates fluids. (5)
As we mentioned, potassium and sodium are inversely related; if cells don’t have enough potassium, sodium can build up, causing increased amounts of fluid and resulting hypertension.
Too much fluid can cause cells to swell and eventually burst. (6)
High blood pressure is often a precursor to cardiovascular disease and stroke and can affect the kidneys, libido, and neurological function.