Potassium is an important nutrient, but its excess, hyperkalemia, can be harmful to the body. Hyperkalemia indicates that there is more than 6 millimoles of potassium per liter of blood (mmol/L). It is a more common disorder in people with kidney problems and can cause nausea, tiredness, irregular heartbeat, breathing problems and chest pain. If you notice any of these symptoms, go to the nearest hospital; if hyperkalemia is confirmed, the doctor will recommend a diet low in potassium so that levels return to normal. In more severe cases, medications will also be prescribed. As long as the treatment is correct, you will recover and be able to live a normal life.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Creating a Low Potassium Diet
Even if the doctor uses drugs to accelerate the stabilization of potassium levels, it is likely that the patient needs a more restricted diet, preventing the nutrient level from shooting up again. Almost all foods, especially fruits and vegetables, have potassium, which makes it difficult to create an adequate plan. Follow the steps below and talk to a doctor or nutritionist for further guidance.
Step 1. Consume less than 2,000 mg of potassium daily
On average, people get 3,500 to 4,500 mg of the nutrient every day, a very high figure for hyperkalemia sufferers. If a diet poor in this mineral is created, the intake per day will not be greater than 2,000 mg for levels to return to normal. Monitor what you eat and stay in that range.
The doctor or nutritionist may indicate another limit for potassium per day; follow the professional's instructions
Step 2. Read the nutrition tables for all foods purchased
They should have a table indicating their nutrients; analyze it to calculate how much potassium you will be getting each day.
- Use a nutrition app or look up the amount of potassium on the internet when buying fresh food or a product without a nutritional chart.
- Pay attention to portion sizes when referring to the nutrition chart. Don't assume that the entire package is one serving; generally, that value indicates only 2 teaspoons or 3 slices of food, for example.
Step 3. Eat foods with less than 150 mg per serving
All that have a value below are considered low in potassium, so structure the diet using them as a base, even more that you won't have to worry about exceeding the daily limit. Still, pay attention to portion sizes so you don't accidentally eat too much.
- Look for the following vegetables and fruits: berries, apples, peaches, pears, pineapple, rhubarb, pumpkin, peppers, onions, radishes, lettuce, parsley, eggplant, cabbage, cauliflower and beans.
- Breads, cereals, lean meats, pasta and rice are also low in potassium.
Step 4. Decrease or cut your intake of foods with more than 200 mg of potassium per serving
When they exceed this value, the amount of the nutrient is already considered medium or even high; it's okay to eat food in the middle range, as long as it's in great moderation. Those with a high amount of the mineral should be eliminated.
- Here are foods with an average level of potassium per serving: asparagus, carrots, kale, Brussels sprouts, corn, cherries, grapefruit, pears and oranges.
- Those rich in the nutrient and that should be removed from the diet are: avocado, banana, dried fruit, artichoke, molasses, potatoes, spinach, beetroot, chocolate, granola, bran, milk and peanut butter.
Step 5. Also avoid all salt substitutes
Most of them are made with potassium chloride, greatly increasing the amount of it per serving; cut such products out of your day to day.
If you choose to buy a salt substitute, read the nutrition table carefully and check the amount of potassium. Light salt, for example, should be avoided by those who suffer from kidney problems, as it has the mineral in large quantities
Step 6. Isotonics should also not be taken
Their goal is exactly to replace nutrients lost after physical activities, such as potassium. Give preference to water (normal or sparkling).
Step 7. For further guidance, consult a nutritionist
It is common to get confused when adopting a diet low in this mineral, as each food has a very variable index. When you're lost or don't know where to start, look for a nutritionist, who can draw up an eating plan and guide you with what can or cannot be eaten according to your health.
Ask for a referral from a nutrition specialist to one of your doctors or look on the health insurance website, if needed
Method 2 of 3: Using Tips to Cut More Potassium
There are several ways to reduce potassium intake outside of dietary adjustment. Avoiding some substances and even changing the way food is cooked can complement the restricted diet and allow the rates to stabilize more quickly.
Step 1. Remove liquid from food and “juice” from canned meats
Both have "leak" potassium, so it is recommended to remove this "water" before eating them.
Do the same with legumes, such as beans, and rinse them to remove excess
Step 2. Perform leaching to reduce the amount of potassium
This process lowers the mineral content, especially in vegetables, so you can eat them. Start by washing and peeling the food, then sectioning it into pieces of about 0.3 cm and then rinsing in warm water. Soak them also in warm water (an amount ten times the amount of food) and let them rest for two hours. Rinse one more time before cooking.
- Remember that this process doesn't take all the potassium out of the vegetables, so don't overdo the portion sizes and don't overeat.
- The method works great with potatoes, beets, pumpkins, carrots and rutabagas.
Step 3. Avoid dietary supplements unless recommended by your doctor
Both dietetics and herbal medicines may have the mineral as an additive, so if they are not indicated by the specialist, do not consume them.
Step 4. If the doctor asks, stop taking potassium drugs
Some drugs in tablet or capsule have potassium as an additive; however, do not stop taking medications indiscriminately. See your doctor and ask if you can change it.
- You should stop taking medication only under medical advice.
- If the medication is over-the-counter, ask the pharmacist if it contains potassium.
Method 3 of 3: Undergoing Medical Treatment
Even though you can fight high potassium levels only through dietary changes, this is a condition that can be dangerous. At any sign of hyperkalemia, go to the nearest emergency room and do not attempt self-treatment. A specialist may recommend medications and other therapies to try to rebalance the mineral level; follow the tips below only under your doctor's supervision.
Step 1. Seek medical help as soon as possible when you notice symptoms of hyperkalemia
The most common are muscle fatigue or weakness, nausea, vomiting, difficulty breathing, chest pain, and irregular heartbeat. At the slightest sign of one of them, it is important to be examined immediately.
Even if you don't have hyperkalemia, similar symptoms can appear in other medical disorders. It's better to be safe than sorry, so go to your doctor to rule out any condition
Step 2. Excrete potassium using diuretics
In less severe cases, these medications can be given to increase the frequency of urination, eliminating more potassium from the body and restoring balance. Take the drug exactly as prescribed by your doctor and for the time indicated.
- To excrete more potassium, your doctor is likely to advise you to increase your water intake along with the use of diuretics.
- Depending on the case, diuretics can be given intravenously.
Step 3. Take a potassium chelator to lower your nutrient levels
Your doctor may prescribe this drug when the hyperkalemia is more severe, in order to quickly reduce the amount of mineral in the body. They help to excrete it more efficiently and don't let the rates increase too much. Consume them as the specialist prescribes, in the correct dosage and for the time indicated.
- Sodium zirconium cyclosilicate is the most common potassium chelator.
- Potassium chelator can usually be purchased in powder form. Mix the prescribed dosage in a glass of water and drink.
Step 4. An intravenous treatment with calcium, glucose or insulin will be given in more severe cases
The three compounds facilitate the elimination of the mineral from the body and applying them to the vein will be the best option when the symptoms of hyperkalemia are severe. The doctor will choose one or a combination of the compounds, applying them directly into the vein so that the mineral returns to normal levels.
- This therapy should be done in a hospital.
- It is likely that your doctor will still recommend that you adopt a diet low in potassium so that the hyperkalemia does not return.
medical advice
Treating hyperkalemia requires medical attention, so go to the nearest hospital when you notice signs of the condition. After being examined by a specialist, you will have to adopt a diet low in potassium and take medication, depending on the case. Stick to the new diet and the use of medications to overcome hyperkalemia; health should soon return to normal.
Notices
- Remember that portion sizes are important. It's no use serving a food with low potassium three times, as you will end up ingesting more than recommended.
- The body needs some potassium to function well, so don't cut it out completely. In addition, it may be necessary to return to the doctor and have tests done on a regular basis to confirm that you are getting enough of the nutrient.