Vitamin D deficiency and high potassium

by merlin
(singapore)

I had a blood test done one week ago, and my result show my Vitamin D test is less than -4 and my potassium result is 5.4, what does this mean?

Comments for Vitamin D deficiency and high potassium

Click here to add your own comments

It's Not a Negative Number
by: Kerri Knox, RN- The Immune Queen!

Hi Merlin,

Your vitamin d level is NOT 'Less than negative 4' is just 'less than 4' which means that it's so low that it's barely detectable and that is NOT good at all. In other words, it's at the lowest level that the lab is able to detect at all. You'll need INTENSIVE supplementation. Please read my page on Vitamin D Therapy and follow the instructions.

HOWEVER, you may want to ask your doctor to also check your PARATHYROID with a calcium level and a parathyroid hormone test. Having a level THAT low while living in a sunny climate is a bit unusual and having a parathyroid problem is a 'good' reason for it to be that low. Get this checked BEFORE you begin Vitamin D Supplementation because a high calcium level is a Vitamin D Contraindication and you should NOT take vitamin d if you have a high calcium level unless an endocrinologist SPECIFICALLY tells you to take it.

A high potassium level almost never occurs except in the case of kidney disease. And you would KNOW if you have kidney disease, so please don't start worrying that you have kidney disease if your doctor hasn't discussed this with you already or if you don't have a kidney doctor- also called a nephrologist. Again, you would ALREADY KNOW if you have kidney disease, it's not something that you walk around going to work everyday and not knowing that you have, you'd be very sick and have a kidney specialist if you have kidney disease.

If you do not have kidney disease then it could simply be a lab error and needs to be repeated. When blood is drawn, some blood cells always break. If too many break, then they release the high levels of potassium that is normally found INSIDE the cells and releases that potassium into the 'serum' that is tested when your blood is tested. This is a VERY VERY common lab error that is termed 'hemolysis' and the bloodwork simply needs to be repeated.

Kerri Knox RN Immune Health Queen

Kerri Knox, RN- The Immune System Queen
Functional Medicine Practitioner
Immune System
Side Effects

Vitamin D deficiency and high potassium
by: merlin

HI, thanks for the information, as i had not mention that i am a Lupus patient that's why i can't go under the sun as Singapore is always so sunny and hot, so avoid sunlight which lead my Vitamin D to be so low.

I don't have any kidney failure as they are function well, but somehow my potassium is high is it due to consume in bananas? Now i am banned on banana from my doctor...

Impossible
by: Kerri Knox, RN- The Immune Queen!

It's nearly impossible to get too much potassium from bananas because potassium is a water soluble mineral that you just urinate out every day. It would be FAR more prudent to have your doctor recheck your potassium level.

If you have Lupus, you almost CERTAINLY have Gluten Sensitivity and there was even a study done where a bunch of women with Lupus went into complete remission by avoiding gluten.

There is, too, a correlation between low vitamin d and Lupus, so having low vitamin d may have contributed to you DEVELOPING Lupus in the first place and it's certainly making it worse. You'd be well advised to get your calcium level checked and, if normal, aggressively treat your Vitamin D Deficiency.

Kerri Knox RN Immune Health Queen

Kerri Knox, RN- The Immune System Queen
Functional Medicine Practitioner
Immune System
Side Effects

to merlin
by: Anonymous

RENAL POTASSIUM-WASTING INDUCED BY VITAMIN D

Apparently vitamin D works by forcing calcium and it takes potassium to do so.

You need to be able to get vitamin D, and Sun (or UVB lamps) will do that. UVB light is even a treatment for skin conditions including psoriasis. You also need magnesium for vitamin D synthesis in skin and a good way to get it is transdermally through Transdermal Magnesium Gel.

look this up, vitamin D is not just a vitamin but a hormone too, you need it.

Study doesn't explain her high potassium
by: Kerri Knox, RN, The Immune Queen

Hi Anonymous,

Unfortunately, your link doesn't say anything about why someone would have high potassium with low vitamin D.

The study ACTUALLY gave rats TOXIC doses of vitamin D in order to give them experimental hypercalcemia (High calcium levels). This caused them to LOSE potassium, however, that doesn't say anyone about a human with low vitamin D levels having high potassium.

I gave the most common reasons for her to have high potassium, and there is no evidence that low vitamin d levels would be one of those causes. I get TONS of people here with low vitamin d levels and this is the only person who has said that her potassium levels are also high. So, I suspect it's an anomaly, or something else related to her specific health problems and not having to do directly with the vitamin D.

same symptoms
by: Sindy

I was looking for the same answer. I also have very low vit D levels & abnormally high potassium levels. Kidneys are fine & I also live where its sunny (Arizona) is there anything that would cause this combination to occur? And yes, blood work was repeated.

Vitamin D deficiency high potassium level
by: Anonymous

I just found out that I am severely deficient of vitamin D and my potassium levels were very high. My doctor prescribed 50,000 Unit 2 times a week and also put me on Lasix 20mg for 5 days. I have had chronic fatigue, muscle and bone pain, tingling and numbing sensations for several months.

I also have experienced memory loss and depression. In the last 2 weeks I have woke up completely paralyzed on the left side of my body. I just recently graduated with my AA in pre-nursing and lack 2 classes to finish up my AS in Health Science but last semester I had to withdraw due to my symptoms. My vitamin D levelso was 16 last Thursday. Anyone have any clues to what may be happening to me? Thanks for any help.

Severe trauma and high potassium
by: Anonymous

Severe trauma or surgery. Is it true this could cause high potassium. If so, what is treatment and is it permanent?

no, it's not permanent
by: Kerri Knox, The Immune Queen

The treatment is to wait, and yes it will go away. A high potassium level from trauma is merely from the cells that have been damaged dumping their potassium into the tissues and blood. It will go away on it's own.

Same Results
by: Bobby

My endocrinologist just did routine bloodwork on me and my results were 15 potassium and very low vitamin D. A couple of days before the bloodwork I slipped in the snow and came down very hard on my right bottom back rib and kidney area.

Could this be the cause of the high potassium reading? In addition, two years ago I suffered three years of intermittent surgeries on a humerus that broke in three different places, four different times. During that period I also had two parathyroïdes removed.

Could this also have added to this present result? Years before I had low potassium and my endocrinologist told me to have more salt in my foods. Thanks for your help.
Bobby

From trauma
by: Kerri Knox, The Immune Queen

Yes, you can have high potassium from a RECENT trauma. It will go away in a couple of weeks at the most so long as you do not have ongoing muscle damage or muscle wasting, for instance if you are on bedrest and not moving it can remain high because you are losing muscle.

Kerri Knox RN Immune Health Queen

Kerri Knox, RN- The Immune System Queen
Functional Medicine Practitioner
Immune System
Side Effects

PS: If you appreciate the free help that I give on my site, please consider making your next supplement purchase through my Health Store in order to help keep this site in operation.

Could this be from soft tissue damage?
by: Vicki

I have discovered I am being subjected to extremely high levels of EMF(Electromagnetic Frequency) Microwaves. Which can cause soft tissue damage. Can the blood cells break down as a result of EMF resulting in high potassium and low vitamin D level in my CBC?

CKD
by: Tanya

I also have high potassium and low Vitamin D. However, I am in stage 4 renal failure. I have known about about my progressive renal disease for several years and watched these labs deteriorate over the last few years. I agree with the nurse that it's highly likely you would know you had kidney disease. If the labs have been redone with the same results I would make an appointment with a nephrologist for peace of mind.

Uncommon
by: Anonymous

I recently went to the doc and had a blood test twice that had the doc nervous for me. Results Hyperkalemia. High potassium levels, low vitamin D levels. Low red blood cell levels. Everything was out of wack. She recommended vitamin d supplement. I try and watch my eating habits.

vitamin d and potassium
by: Anonymous

how much potassium in vitamin D

Low Potassium, low vitamin d and low calcium?
by: Anonymous

My blood work indicates I have low potassium, low vitamin D and Low calcium. I'm extremely exhausted and have pains in my lower stomach and lower back. I have been to so many doctors and can't get answers. Why would I be so low in vitamins and is there any specific health issues I should suggest my doctor to look for?

Low Potassium on Vitamin D suppliments
by: Anonymous

My Dr had me on 50,000 IU D2 Three times a week for a year. I wound up in the hospital with dangerously low Potassium (2.2) and they found I was wasting through my urine. My doctors put me on a high daily regiment of Potassium 80MEQ a day to counter act the wasting. They never said a word about my D2 suppliments I am taking. I read online that Vitamin D will can cause Potassium wasting through the kidneys. Any comments? Did my doctors just miss this? Concerned. T

High K, low D
by: Anonymous

I’ve had low Vitamin D (in 20,s) and high potassium for couple years now. I’m stage 3a CKD. My Nephrologist can’t seem to keep it under control. And a few months ago started me on Valtessa daily to keep potassium down. The valtessa helps a lot, but is very expensive and I am to take it daily. Potassium ranges from 5.5 - 6.9.bouncing up and down for last 2 years. Never dropping below 5.5. I’m also taking various units of vitamin D to keep that up. So their must be a connection with vitamin D deficiency and hyperkalemia and CKD.

Potassium in Vitamin D?
by: Kerri Knox, The Immune System Queen

There is no potassium in Vitamin D.

Gluten sensitivity
by: Kerri Knox, The Immune System Queen

Sounds like malabsorption from Gluten Sensitivity

Potassium wasting?
by: Kerri Knox, The Immune System Queen

I've never heard of vitamin D causing potassium wasting unless you've OVERDOSED on Vitamin D, which causes high calcium which could potentially cause potassium wasting.

Click here to add your own comments

Return to Understanding Blood Test Results.

Enjoy this page? Please pay it forward. Here's how...

Would you prefer to share this page with others by linking to it?

Click on the HTML link code below.
Copy and paste it, adding a note of your own, into your blog, a Web page, forums, a blog comment, your Facebook account, or anywhere that someone would find this page valuable.

Search this Site

Custom Search

Free Vitamin D Fact Sheet by Getting
My Newsletter