Does low blood potassium cause exercise-associated muscle cramps?

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    Last Updated: May 16, 2025

    Low blood potassium is unlikely to cause exercise-associated muscle cramps because cramps can occur even with normal electrolyte levels and are influenced by various factors such as dehydration and fatigue. Current evidence indicates no significant difference in blood potassium levels between people who experience cramps during exercise and those who do not.

    Muscle cramps are a complicated phenomenon that are associated with several factors: dehydration, glycogen depletion, overexertion, fatigue, hyperthermia, etc. For more information, see What causes muscle cramps?.

    While electrolyte (potassium and sodium) depletion in the blood can trigger muscle cramps, cramps can also happen with normal levels of electrolytes. Furthermore, because blood concentrations of potassium do not typically differ between people who experience cramps during exercise and people who do not,[1] the current evidence shows that low blood potassium is unlikely to cause exercise-associated muscle cramps.