What Is Hypokalemia (Low Potassium)?

You have hypokalemia when you have low levels of potassium in your blood. Potassium is a mineral your body needs to work normally. It helps muscles to move, cells to get the nutrients they need, and nerves to send their signals. It’s especially important for cells in your heart. It also helps keep your blood pressure from getting too high.

What Causes Low Potassium?

There are many reasons you could have low potassium levels. It can happen when too much potassium leaves your body through your digestive tract. Or, it could be a symptom of another problem.

What is the most common cause of low potassium?

Most often, potassium levels get low when you lose it through your pee after you take medications such as diuretics (water pills) for heart disease or high blood pressure.

Other reasons for potassium loss

You may also develop hypokalemia if you:

• Vomit a lot
• Take laxatives often
• Often have diarrhea
• Have low levels of magnesium in your blood (hypomagnesemia)
• Drink too much alcohol
• Sweat a lot
• Have a folic acid deficiency
• Take certain antibiotics
• Have high levels of acids called ketones in your blood when you have diabetes (diabetic ketoacidosis)
• Have malnutrition
• Take some asthma medications

It’s possible, but rare, to get hypokalemia from having too little potassium in your diet.

Health conditions that can cause low potassium

Several health conditions may be linked to low potassium, such as:

• Eating disorders
• Cushing's syndrome and other adrenal disorders
• Gitelman syndrome
• Liddle syndrome
• Bartter syndrome
• Fanconi syndrome
• Kidney disease

Women tend to get hypokalemia more often than men.