This text is a continuation on our electrolyte dialogue of the significance of electrolytes in endurance sports activities. Partly one, we addressed the position of sodium and a few frequent signs of both having too little or an excessive amount of of it in our system. This text focuses on potassium which acts as a counterbalance to sodium. So whereas there may be greater focus of sodium inside our cells somewhat than outdoors, the other is true for potassium because it prefers to exist outdoors the cells. Potassium and sodium work collectively to make sure the right quantity of fluids inside and out of doors our cells. That is accomplished through one thing referred to as the Sodium Potassium Pumps (just a little too superior for us non Phd in Biology runners).
On this article we are going to deal with how to make sure you have sufficient potassium in your system and on a few of the signs of being out of steadiness close to potassium.
How will we get potassium into our our bodies?
Similar to most different electrolytes, potassium is obtained largely through the meals and drinks we devour. The preferred methodology is the legendary endurance fruit – the banana (learn our comparability on bananas vs vitality gels for a deep dive). There are a number of different vegatables and fruits which have actually excessive concentrations of potassium, however they’re much less prone to present up at a marathon or ultramarathon checkpoint. We eat or drink a substance, it goes via our abdomen into the intestine and will get absorbed into our blood stream. It’s the kidney’s position to filter the blood and thus regulate the quantity of electrolytes, on this case potassium, in our system.
What occurs if our physique is low on potassium?
Each electrolyte in our physique has a really particular vary of focus that’s best for our system to operate correctly. For potassium, that quantity is 3.5-5 mEq/L, and if our physique goes above or beneath that stage we are able to get into hassle. Particularly once we fall beneath our desired vary, we go right into a situation referred to as HypoKalemia. The causes of our potassium ranges going to low vary may be diuretics, steroid imbalance, an excessive amount of insulin in our system, or just not consuming sufficient meals with potassium in it. So far as the signs, the nurses who’re preparing for an examination on electrolytes have devised a mnemonic gadget to recollect them – they name it the 7Ls of low potassium, None of them are perfect for peak efficiency throughout endurance races:
- Lethargy (been there)
- Low or shallow respiration (not a contented place for a runner)
- Deadly cardiac dysrhythmias (scary stuff)
- Numerous urine (been there and know some runners who should be actually low on Potassium primarily based on this symptom)
- Leg cramps (been there and I do know I’m not alone)
- Limp muscle tissue (ohh boy)
- Low blood strain & coronary heart fee (by no means been in unhealthy sufficient situation to have my blood strain checked throughout a race)
Be careful for these situations and ensure to soak up loads of potassium wealthy meals to make sure you don’t fall sufferer to those disagreeable signs.
What occurs if our physique is excessive on potassium?
In case your physique’s potassium focus is just too excessive then again, this situation is named HyperKalemia. This situation is often brought on by muscle breakdown which leaks potassium into our blood, or by kidney’s not functioning accurately to assist us launch extra potassium into our urine. The signs are additionally not very nice, and the great nurses have additionally give you an appropriate acronym to assist us bear in mind them: M-U-R-D-E-R:
- Muscle weak spot (been there, however undecided if I can blame it on an excessive amount of Potassium)
- Urinary output
- Respiratory failure (we actually don’t imply to scare anybody with this weblog piece)
- Decreased cardiac contractility (sorry guys, I assume its too late in regards to the not scaring runners)
- Early muscle twitches (I’m fairly positive I’ve seen my muscle tissue freak out after an extended arduous run)
- Rhythm change within the coronary heart
Clearly these are signs that don’t make for optimum bodily efficiency.
Within the subsequent electrolyte article, we are going to contact on the remaining key electrolytes in our our bodies – chloride, magnesium, phosphate, and calcium.
