Why do i have high potassium?

High potassium levels can be a surprising diagnosis for many individuals. Most of us have heard about low potassium levels or hypokalemia because gym enthusiasts often tell exciting stories around the water cooler about how they always eat bananas to keep their muscles strong.

But high potassium levels? That’s unheard of!

If you’re here, it means that you’ve just found out that your K+ level is sky high, and now you are struggling with finding any information on this topic. Don’t worry though; we’ve gotcha covered!

In this post, we will help you understand why these weird things occur in your body and how to cope with having too much of an excellent thing.

What Is Potassium?

Before diving into what causes hyperkalemia (too much potassium), let’s learn a quick anatomy lesson on what this mineral does inside our bodies.

Potassium is an essential nutrient required in every human cell. Its primary function is to regulate muscle contractions and maintain fluid balance across cell membranes. It also helps transmit nerve impulses throughout the brain and nervous system [1].

Most people obtain sufficient amounts of dietary K+ through fruits such as avocados, bananas, sweet potatoes- which explain the said association between athletes & bananas- but also apricots, oranges, melons, kiwis Brussels sprouts, spinach etc …

Fun fact: Did you know that “the element gets its name from the English word “potash,” which refers to plant ashes soaked in water?” [2]

Potassium plays a vital role in keeping our hearts beating robustly by balancing out sodium ions

What Level Of Potassium Is Normal In A Human Body?

According to Mayo Clinic Laboratories,
“The typical range for serum POTASSIUM LEVELS Is 3.6 – 5 .2 milliequivalents per liter (meq/L\”) [3] .

However, be informed that the mentioned range might differ slightly depending on age and gender though. For more specific ranges please talk to your healthcare provider.

Now that we have got a brief overview of what potassium is and how much should exist in our bodies let’s jump into why you might end up having high levels.

What Causes High Potassium Levels?

Several factors can elevate one’s K+ level. Here are most common causes:

Chronic Kidney Disease

One of the primary functions of kidneys is to filter blood, remove excess fluids and wastes from our systems; approximately 80% of dietary potassium gets excreted through urine [4].

When someone has kidney disease or any other renal anomalies (that later cause idiopathic deficiencies) , their kidneys’ ability to clear out substances diminishes significantly. This impairment results in excessive amounts of potassium accumulating inside the body rather than getting eliminated from it via normal physiological processes.

Dehydration

If you have less water intake than your body requires – also called dehydration- this leads to an electrolyte imbalance; thus, too little water will cause too much K+. Henceforth it becomes uraemic poisoning

Adrenal Insufficiency

A different scenario happens when there isn’t enough aldosterone hormone secreted by one’s adrenal glands . This remote possibility keeps abnormal effects inside the body leading toxins accumulation while making processing slower regarding important factors like sodium balance which forces potassium retention increasing its levels ;

On a base front note: Remember having always healthy microflora taking care keeping fast adaptations against pH variations ensuring right organ functioning.

Medications And Supplements Interactions

Some medications can interfere with certain transporters as part carriers causing them block instead suppress activity potentials bringing up imbalances consequently such medicines n(ACE Inhibitors/ARBs/Diuretics Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs)),supplements(Creatine etc.)

Fun Fact: Did you know that Creatine monohydrate is the most well-known requirement for people practicing high-performance exercise performance? [5]

Acidosis

Here, excess body acids accumulate inside your system cause electrolyte imbalances; inevitably leading to metabolic acidosis too. As a result, our body buffers these acidic conditions by exchanging hydrogen ions out of cells with potassium ions which concentrates in cell fluids instead.

Symptoms Of High Potassium Levels

Excessive levels of K+ have calculated amounts regarding precise ranges mentioned right above just within our intro context. However, it’s essential to note that each individual reacts differently to internal chemical fluctuations such as hyperkalemia (toxicity) developed due retention or acidification .

Below are some signs and symptoms characterizing differences among personalities :

• Nausea and vomiting
• Muscle weakness/ Cramping
• Chest pain & trouble breathing
• Palpitations/fainting spells
• Hyperventilation

If any of these symptoms seem familiar after going over your recent lab test results, please contact your doctor immediately.

Treatment For High Potassium Levels

Treating excessive K+ level involves several methods depending on one’s severity state

Mild case : Doctors will advise changes in diet concerning reducing the consumption of high-potassium meals cooked under salt pressure foods while preserving fiber-rich ones higher in calcium like milk — plain yogurt snacking oats

Severe Case: May requires further intense medical care including medications adjunctive therapies possible hospitalization

Fun fact: The amount excreted by sweat was thought until1983 before corrected scientific observations around 230mg vs adult dietary normal reabsorption [6]

Conclusion

In conclusion, Hyperkalemia should be treated properly without overlooking core reasons apart from medications since they don’t fit everyone’s profile health matters hence making an appointment helps quickly ruling out potential future catastrophic incidences which can lead to serious and lethal consequences.

To prevent this from occurring, it’s essential to keep up with our bodies by taking care of ourselves (drinking enough water, avoiding crash diets or excessive weight loss diets) properly

As the famous adage goes: “Prevention is better than cure.” And here prevention, in turn, leads to a long healthy life!

Thank you for reading; we hope this piece was informative yet funny.