| Many sports drinks advertise that they contain | | | | accept the diagnosis, she got help, stopped vomiting |
| potassium, but potassium deficiency is not common in | | | | and went on to win several long distance running titles. |
| athletes unless they are trying to control weight by | | | | The kidneys and sweat glands conserve potassium so |
| vomiting. | | | | effectively in response to low body levels that |
| A few years ago, one of the best female | | | | potassium deficiency rarely occurs in healthy athletes. |
| long-distance runners in the country came to me to | | | | Even with prolonged exercise in very hot weather, |
| find a cause for her sudden drop in performance. All | | | | potassium needs can be met by eating a normal diet |
| tests I ordered were normal except for a low blood | | | | because potassium is found in virtually all foods except |
| level of potassium. The most common cause of | | | | refined sugar. On the other hand, potassium deficiency |
| potassium deficiency is vomiting, but she repeatedly | | | | can be caused by drugs, such as diuretics and |
| denied doing this. I then requested that she collect her | | | | corticosteroids. It can also be caused by diarrhea or |
| urine for one day, and the laboratory reported that it | | | | repeated vomiting. With diarrhea, potassium is lost in |
| contained three times as much potassium as normal. | | | | the stool. With vomiting, potassium is lost in the urine. In |
| This proved that she was bulimic. To control her | | | | both athletes and non-athletes, the most common |
| weight, she was sticking her finger down her throat | | | | cause of low potassium blood levels and high |
| and making herself throw up. After she was able to | | | | potassium urine levels is vomiting. |
