5 Telltale Signs You Have a Potassium Deficiency

5 Telltale Signs You Have a Potassium Deficiency, Experts weigh in on everything you need to know about the ever-important electrolyte:

While it’s obvious that what you put in your body helps (or hurts!) your performance, there are certain things that everyone needs to make sure they’re getting enough of in their diet. One of them? Potassium.

“Potassium is an important electrolyte in your body that your cells need in order to carry out normal electrical activity, like muscle contraction or an efficient heart beat,” says Jeffrey William, M.D., a nephrologist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston.

And most people don’t get enough, according to Melissa Majumdar, M.S., R.D., a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Based on the guidelines from the National Institutes of Health adults should get 4,700 milligrams (mg) of potassium a day, but Majumdar says that most men only get 3,000 mg and most women only get 2,300 mg. For context, 1 cup of dried apricot halves contains 1,511 mg of potassium, 1 cup of prunes contains 1,397 mg of potassium, and one medium banana contains 422 mg of potassium.

If you’re low on potassium over an extended period of time, it can mess with your cells’ ability to function normally. Not sure if you’re getting enough? While both Majumdar and William say there are no immediate symptoms of a potassium deficiency, you will start seeing signs if your deficiency becomes too severe. Here are five to look out for that might point to a consistent lack of the ever-important electrolyte.

1.    Increased Blood Pressure

2.    Irregular Heart Beat

3.    Muscle Cramps

4.    Constipation

5.    Fatigue