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Symptoms can include weakness, reduced energy, muscle cramps, stomach pain and an irregular heart beat. The best way to determine if you have a potassium deficiency is to see the doctor. He can perform blood tests and an EKG to diagnose hypokalemia.
Normally, your blood potassium level is 3.6 to 5.2 millimoles per liter (mmol/L). A very low potassium level (less than 2.5 mmol/L) can be life-threatening and requires urgent medical attention.
Hypokalemia means low blood potassium levels. Your body needs potassium to function correctly. It gets potassium through the food you eat. Hypokalemia is often caused by an excessive loss of potassium in your digestive tract due to vomiting, diarrhea or laxative use.
Low potassium levels can cause symptoms like fatigue and frequent urination. Increasing your intake of potassium-rich foods, like fruits, vegetables, beans, and nuts, may help.
If the potassium in your blood serum is below 3.5 mmol/L, you have hypokalemia. If your level is in the range of 3.0-3.4 mmol/L, you have mild hypokalemia, and if your level is lower than 3...
Knowing the symptoms of low potassium, or hypokalemia, may allow you to recognize a potassium deficiency if you develop one. Potassium is a mineral needed in small amounts for cell, nerve, and muscle function.
If your levels fall below 3.6 mmol/L, you have a potassium deficiency. Potassium levels below 2.5 mmol/L are life-threatening and require immediate medical attention. In the elderly, decreased body function, loss of appetite, certain diseases, and some medications increase their risk of hypokalemia.