# Is not eating potassium dangerous? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 29, 2004, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-not-eating-potassium-dangerous/257354 "2004-07-29T00:07:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2004, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-not-eating-potassium-dangerous/257354/1 "2004-07-29T00:07:12Z")
Lets assume you eat 5-20g of sodium a day but almost no (0-500mg) potassium a day. Will that kill you or will your kidneys just adjust to the diet and hold onto potassium better? ---
**Author:** ![tremorviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@tremorviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tremorviolet)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2004, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-not-eating-potassium-dangerous/257354/2 "2004-07-29T00:33:00Z")
[potassium deficiency](http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002413.htm) From an unverified site that sells supplements: > [@](#): > > There is an intricate chemical relationship between potassium and sodium. This delicate balance was first demonstrated as long ago as 1948 when volunteers given diets deficient in potassium retained an unusually high amount of salt. Normally, potassium resides largely within the cells and it is balanced by the sodium outside cells. In this way, potassium maintains, the acid-alkaline balance of our blood plasma, while sodium maintains the osmotic pressure. If potassium is deficient then sodium invades the cell. Sodium can bring so much water with it into the cells that the pressure actually causes many of them to burst. Sodium in the correct amounts is as necessary for health as potassium; however, we must strive for the proper balance for our individual needs. [source page](http://www.aimtobehealthy.com/PotassiumFacts.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2004, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-not-eating-potassium-dangerous/257354/3 "2004-07-29T00:34:32Z")
Extremely low potassium diets will make one sick and can lead to death, as a certain level of potassium is needed for nerves to transmit and muscles to fire. Low potassium can also lead to fatal cardiac arrhythmias. The kidneys can only conserve so much potassium. If losses via kidneys and sweat and other routes exceed intake, debility and death will follow. Just what level of intake would lead to dangerously low potassium probably depends on a lot of individual factors like your own kidney efficiency. Paging **KarlGauss**! A little help? Got any numbers on when potassium intake restriction becomes dangerous? ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2004, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-not-eating-potassium-dangerous/257354/4 "2004-07-29T00:55:21Z")
Hey there, **Qad**! Howya doing? You’re right, of course, that low potassium can be fatal (especially if you’ve got underlying heart disease, other salt imbalances [eg. low magnesium], or take digoxin). One of the consequences of low potassium besides its effect on nerve and heart electrical activity is that the blood pH will rise (alkalosis). Since alkalosis can also lead to cardiac arrythmias, it’s a double whammy. AFAIK, there is an obligate potassium loss of about 5 to 10 meq in the urine daily. There is also about 5 to 10 meq lost in each of the stool and sweat. So, let’s say there’s a 25 meq total obligate loss. Any intake less than that will lead to problems. If someone’s taking diuretics or is vomiting or has diarrhea, problems will come _much_ sooner. **Qad** : As an aside, I’ve seen levels of 1.1!! (hypokalemic periodic paralysis) ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2004, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-not-eating-potassium-dangerous/257354/5 "2004-07-29T01:50:45Z")
> [@KarlGauss](#): > > **Qad** : As an aside, I’ve seen levels of 1.1!! (hypokalemic periodic paralysis) :eek: :eek: :eek: Otherwise, life’s OK in the Big House. Had a guy 4 weeks ago with a potassium of 7.5 and a heart rate of 12 **and he was conscious**!!! but he sure didn’t feel good! I couldn’t get a pulse in his wrist, I tried his shunt (dialysis patient of course), still couldn’t get one, yet he’d talk to me (“Doc, I don’t feel good”) when I hollered at him. I tried my stethoscope, and NOTHING! I thought the damn thing must be plugged with earwax! Stat EKG showed 5 seconds of asystole before a spike came along. A little emergency pacing and dialysis, and he was back to his normal self, bitching about not being allowed a TV. It was the med student’s first day too. Lotsa laffs! Potassium imbalances are just sooooo wacky! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![bizzwire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/958977/32.png) [@bizzwire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bizzwire)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2004, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-not-eating-potassium-dangerous/257354/6 "2004-07-29T05:57:37Z")
Personally, referring to the **OP** I would have thought that eating potassium would be pretty dangerous, too!