10 Symptoms of Potassium Deficiency
Constipation
Low potassium levels affect muscle function throughout the body – including the gastrointestinal system. This can lead to a slower movement of the muscles found in the gastrointestinal tract and, in turn, cause an affected individual to become constipated.
Numbness and Tingling
While potassium is known to primarily act upon muscle function, it is important to realize the importance of potassium in nerve function and the transmission of electrical nerve impulses. Low potassium levels can cause electrical impulses of nerves to become less effective in reaching the spinal cord, as well as the brain. This may lead to a reduction in sensory, which can cause an affected individual to experience numbness and a tingling sensation in their extremities, such as their hands, fingers, feet and toes.
Depression
Potassium deficiency has also been linked to a higher risk of mood disturbances, as well as symptoms related to depression, according to a study conducted by the Deakin University in Australia1https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18466657.
Psychosis
Other psychological symptoms may also become present when potassium levels in the human body become too low. In particular, a link between potassium deficiency and psychosis has been made, after a higher prevalence of low potassium levels were observed amongst patients with psychosis and other psychiatric conditions, as compared to healthy individuals.
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