Potassium how does it help the body

Staying Healthy The importance of potassium July 18, Print This Page Click to Print. Staying Healthy. Children's Health. Free Healthbeat Signup Get the latest in health news delivered to your inbox! Sign Up. Close Thanks for visiting. The Best Diets for Cognitive Fitness , is yours absolutely FREE when you sign up to receive Health Alerts from Harvard Medical School Sign up to get tips for living a healthy lifestyle, with ways to fight inflammation and improve cognitive health , plus the latest advances in preventative medicine, diet and exercise , pain relief, blood pressure and cholesterol management, and more.

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See, Play and Learn No links available. Research Clinical Trials Journal Articles. Resources Find an Expert. For You Patient Handouts. Potassium, Sodium, and High Blood Pressure Increasing your potassium intake can decrease your blood pressure if you have high blood pressure. Consuming too little potassium in your diet and too much sodium can raise your blood pressure.

Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee. Food and Drug Administration. Sources of sodium in U. Estimated hour urinary sodium and potassium excretion in U. Urinary potassium excretion and risk of developing hypertension.

The prevention of renal and vascular end-stage disease study external icon. Associations between urinary sodium and potassium excretion and blood pressure among adults in the United States: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, external icon. Supplements are mostly effective if your kidneys are in good shape. Potassium-sparing diuretics can rid the body of excess sodium.

This will help normalize electrolyte levels. But, some diuretics and potassium supplements can be harsh on the digestive tract. Ask a doctor for wax-coated pills to help prevent digestive issues. Only people with normal kidney function can use potassium-sparing diuretics.

Mild cases of hyperkalemia can be treated with prescription medications that increase potassium excretion. Other methods include diuretics or an enema. Severe cases may require more complex treatments. Kidney dialysis can remove potassium. This treatment is the preferred for cases of kidney failure. For people with healthy kidneys, a doctor might recommend insulin and glucose. These help to transport potassium from the blood to cells for removal.

An albuterol inhaler can also lower dangerously high levels. Calcium gluconate may be used temporarily to stabilize the heart and reduce the risk of serious heart complications from hyperkalemia.

Healthy kidneys are often enough to regulate body potassium. Medical conditions that affect levels should be monitored regularly. Call your doctor if you experience any unusual symptoms.