Why Should Those With a Kidney Disease Avoid Eating Coconut and Banana? Know What Hyperkalemia Is

Your kidneys perform extremely important functions for your health, which include filtering waste products and excess fluid from your body and removing them through urine. They are also first in line to regulate the body’s mineral balance and produce a hormone that stimulates red blood cell production.

However, when you have a kidney disease, waste products build up in the blood, and the doctors may recommend dietary changes to manage the condition while supporting kidney function.

Potassium is one mineral essential for your body's uses for muscle contractions, nerve function, and keeping your heartbeat regular., Usually, your kidneys keep potassium levels in check as they filter out what your body does not need. However, those who have weak or failing kidneys can be in danger as daily foods lead to high potassium levels. According to AIIMS urologist Dr Parwez, high-potassium foods like coconut and banana can be highly risky for kidney patients.

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Why are coconut and banana risky for your kidneys?

For those battling kidney issues, eating a banana and a coconut is a perfect recipe for hyperkalemia – a condition which leads to too much potassium in your blood. Normal potassium levels should be between 3.5 and 5.0 mmol/L, and hyperkalemia is generally defined as levels above 5.5 mmol/L. According to experts, even though mild hyperkalemia can be asymptomatic, severe cases cause dangerous heart rhythm abnormalities and muscle weakness.

“When the kidneys don't function properly, potassium elimination gets difficult. When the level of potassium in the blood increases, it increases the risk of a heart attack,” Dr Parwez said on his Instagram. “And in such cases, eating high-potassium foods like bananas or coconut, or eating them together, can pose a great risk to the body,” he added.

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Apart from not consuming them together, Dr Parwez also asked people to refrain from having the two fruits separately if they have kidney disease.

What happens in hyperkalemia?

If you have too much potassium in your body, your kidneys may not be able to remove all of it, which slowly builds up in your blood.

Excess potassium in your blood damages your heart, makes you feel palpitations, and even leads to a heart attack. You cannot always tell when your potassium levels are high.

Signs and symptoms of hyperkalemia

According to doctors, if you have mild hyperkalemia, you may not have any symptoms, which often come and go or may gradually develop over weeks or months. A few hyperkalemia signs may include:

• Abdominal pain
• Diarrhoea
• Nausea and vomiting
• Chest pain
• Heart palpitations
• Muscle weakness

Dangerously high levels of potassium can affect your heart and cause sudden, life-threatening problems.

Ways to fix hyperkalemia

The treatment for hyperkalemia varies according to your potassium levels, a few of which include:

Diuretics, which have more electrolytes like sodium and potassium, make you pee more often.

Blood pressure medications and certain other drugs can raise your potassium levels.

Potassium binders help lower your potassium levels by attaching extra potassium to your stool, which leaves your body when you use the bathroom.

Your doctor may provide intravenous or IV therapy if you have extremely high potassium levels.

You may need dialysis if other treatments do not lower your potassium levels or if you have kidney failure.

Which are safe fruits to eat?

A few fruits that help your kidneys thrive include:

• Apples
• Berries – strawberries, blueberries
• Grapes
• Pears
• Pineapples