Migraines and headaches are not one of the common symptoms associated with low potassium, or to use its official name hypokalaemia.
Potassium enters the body through foods such as fresh fruit and vegetables, fish, beef and juices such as orange and grapefruit. Excessive loss is the most common cause of low potassium rather than a low dietary intake, for example vomiting or diarrhoea.
The muscles in our body need a high level of potassium to function properly. The potassium in our bodies helps the neuromuscular cells to depolarize and repolarize, so when potassium is low the common symptoms are weakness in the muscles, muscle cramp and aches. It can also affect the heart leading to palpitations and in more serious cases it can even cause arrhythmias.
However as low potassium is usually the side effect of a more serious medical condition such as high blood pressure, dehydration or vomiting and diarrhoea, it is possible that another condition is causing migraines and headaches which has also led to low potassium.
If you think you may have low potassium, or are concerned about the cause of regular migraines and headaches it is advisable to visit your doctor for a full diagnosis and appropriate treatment. Less serious cases of hypokalaemia are either left for the body to recover on its own, or can be treated orally with potassium replacement tablets or by eating lots of potassium rich foods such as bananas and tomatoes. Only in the most serious cases, which are very rare, is low potassium treated intravenously.
Potassium enters the body through foods such as fresh fruit and vegetables, fish, beef and juices such as orange and grapefruit. Excessive loss is the most common cause of low potassium rather than a low dietary intake, for example vomiting or diarrhoea.
The muscles in our body need a high level of potassium to function properly. The potassium in our bodies helps the neuromuscular cells to depolarize and repolarize, so when potassium is low the common symptoms are weakness in the muscles, muscle cramp and aches. It can also affect the heart leading to palpitations and in more serious cases it can even cause arrhythmias.
However as low potassium is usually the side effect of a more serious medical condition such as high blood pressure, dehydration or vomiting and diarrhoea, it is possible that another condition is causing migraines and headaches which has also led to low potassium.
If you think you may have low potassium, or are concerned about the cause of regular migraines and headaches it is advisable to visit your doctor for a full diagnosis and appropriate treatment. Less serious cases of hypokalaemia are either left for the body to recover on its own, or can be treated orally with potassium replacement tablets or by eating lots of potassium rich foods such as bananas and tomatoes. Only in the most serious cases, which are very rare, is low potassium treated intravenously.
