Hypokalemia: Symptoms, causes, and prevention

Posted By Suborna Fermi Posted on May 29, 2025

Hypokalemia is the condition of abnormally low potassium levels in the body. As we all know, potassium is one of the most essential minerals of a human body that takes part in a diverse range of bodily functions. Hence, lack of potassium or hypokalemia may lead to so many kinds of health complications.

Our body gets potassium from the foods we eat; in other words, the foods we consume are the primary sources of potassium in the body. Our body consumes necessary amounts of potassium from the foods, and then the excess amount of potassium is eliminated by our kidneys. When the body starts lacking potassium, several types of health complications may take place, including muscle weakness, abnormal heart rhythm, and even paralysis. In case any of these symptoms start occurring, you may consider going for a full body checkup to get the rood causes of these problems diagnosed with complete accuracy.

It’s better to know about the common symptoms of hypokalemia, as it may help us assume the occurrence of this condition in the body. On the other hand, having knowledge about what causes this condition will help us stay away from the risk factors and reduce our chances of facing this condition. Some of the major symptoms of hypokalemia are mentioned below.

Common symptoms of hypokalemia

• Heart palpitations
• Extreme fatigue
• Constipation
• Numbness
• Tingling
• Muscle cramp
• Low blood pressure
• Severe muscle weakness
• Lightheadedness
• Extreme thirst
• Extreme urination
• Muscle twitches
• Low blood pressure
• Arrythmias

Common causes of hypokalemia

Some of the common causes of hypokalemia include

• Alcohol use disorder
• Eating disorder
• Low magnesium levels
• Chronic kidney disease
• Medications like corticosteroids, certain antibiotics and insulin
• Hyperhidrosis
• Adrenal disorders like Cushing Syndrome
• Kidney conditions like Bartter’s syndrome or Gitelman Syndrome

How can we prevent hypokalemia?

If you are diagnosed with this condition, then the medical professionals may recommend consuming potassium supplements. However, the best way to prevent hypokalemia is to eat foods that are rich in potassium, as this will help you maintain adequate levels of potassium in your body. Some of the natural foods that can be considered as rich sources of potassium are

• Avocados
• Potatoes
• Fish
• Bananas
• Milk
• Lean beef
• Dark leafy vegetables
• Tomatoes
• Spinach
• Peanut butter
• Oranges

Hypokalemia leads to several types of health conditions, which may turn serious after a certain point of time. Fortunately, now you can get the facilities of a full body checkup near me easily as modern pathology labs have enabled various test facilities all over the country. As currently the facilities of home sample collection are widely available, you don’t need to worry about visiting any lab physically to get yourself tested. Consult a pathology lab today to know about a full body checkup price.