Potassium in the urine

Potassium in urine is an important marker, an indicator of normal, healthy nutrition, as well as the state of the hormonal system, an assessment of the degree of intoxication, if diagnosed. In addition, potassium in urine is a sign of normal kidney function.

Potassium is considered one of the most important macroelements in the body, considered biogenic, since it is intracellular (98% of potassium is inside the cells). A small percentage (2%) is located outside the cells and this small part is responsible for the normal contraction of muscle tissue, the transmission of an electrical nerve signal - an impulse, for the normalization of blood pressure. Potassium is located in almost all human organs, but there is especially a lot of it in those where there are muscles, that is, in the heart and kidneys. There is also a lot of potassium in the brain. If a person is exposed to stress, chronic or one-time, the body immediately loses manganese and potassium.

Potassium in urine depends on the specifics of nutrition, acid-base balance, intake of certain medications and age.

The normal level of potassium in urine is as follows:

• Children – from 10 to 60 mmol/day;
• Adults – from 30-100 mmol/day.

Potassium is excreted primarily by the kidneys and this process is regulated by filtration in the renal glomeruli and the energy-consuming work of reabsorption in the kidneys.

Potassium in urine allows to estimate the losses of this important macroelement during the day. Such studies are especially important for seriously ill people (intensive care), since potassium analysis helps to adjust potassium replacement therapy in a timely manner.

Potassium is excreted in urine too intensively when taking diuretics, polyuria due to nephritis, diabetic acidosis. Potassium can also be excreted intensively in severe intoxications or elementary starvation. Hyperkaliumuria - too high a concentration of potassium can occur during blood transfusion if the material is not suitable for the recipient, as well as with pituitary hyperplasia (Itsenko-Cushing syndrome), renal pathology. In addition to diuretics, the concentration of potassium in urine is increased by hormonal drugs such as hydrocortisone or cortisone. Hypokaliumuria - a decrease in the concentration of potassium - is a symptom of severe dehydration, malnutrition (lack of potassium in food), diarrhea, glomerulonephritis, nephrosclerosis or pyelonephritis.

Potassium in urine strongly depends on the patient's age and lifestyle. Potassium levels are restored with the help of special preparations, in mild cases - with a special diet, using products containing this important macroelement in high concentrations. These can be yeast, where potassium is contained in large quantities, dried apricots or raisins, nuts, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, some types of sea fish and many other healthy products that do not burden the stomach at all. Potassium in urine stabilizes quite quickly, if there are no serious pathologies. If serious health problems are diagnosed, then it is impossible to raise potassium in urine on your own, since its level is closely related to the presence of other important micro and macroelements.

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