Potassium is an electrolyte that helps your cells and organs work. Your body needs it to digest food, keep your heart beating right, and various other activities. You get most of your potassium from foods. Your body uses what it needs, and your kidneys put the rest into your urine as waste.

A potassium test measures how much potassium is in the urine. Potassium levels often change with sodium levels. When sodium levels go up, potassium levels go down. When sodium levels go down, potassium levels go up. These levels are also affected by a hormone called aldosterone. This hormone is made by the adrenal glands.

Potassium levels can be affected by how the kidneys are working, the blood pH, and the amount of potassium you eat. The hormone levels in your body, severe vomiting, and taking certain medicines such as diuretics and potassium supplements can also affect the levels. Certain cancer treatments that destroy cancer cells can also raise potassium levels.

Many foods are rich in potassium. Some examples are potatoes, bananas, prunes, orange juice, and winter squash. A balanced diet has enough potassium for the body’s needs. But if your levels get low, it can take some time for your body to start holding on to potassium.

A potassium level that is too high or too low can be serious.

References:

– http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hyperkalemia/MY00940

– http://www.mayoclinic.org/symptoms/low-potassium/basics/definition/sym-20050632

– https://labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/potassium/tab/test/

– http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/minerals/potassium