Included with every panel
Baseline labs come free with any panel you build.
Metabolism & organs
Potassium test
Serum potassium — standard electrolyte assessment. Included with every panel.
At a glance
In about 5 days
Most results are ready in about 5 days. Some specialty markers can take up to 21 days.
Check before your draw
This marker has no preparation tag, but it can still need preparation. Contact us before your draw if you’re not sure.
Walk in at Quest
Your lab order arrives by email. Most Quest locations take walk-ins, so bring it with a photo ID.
What it measures
Potassium is a mineral that helps your heart keep a steady beat and your muscles and nerves work. Your kidneys keep the level in your blood within a narrow range.
Why it matters for women
Long bouts of vomiting, like morning sickness that won’t let up, can drain potassium, and so can some water pills and frequent laxative use. Some medicines women take for acne or unwanted hair growth, which can be tied to PCOS, can raise it. Because potassium helps keep your heartbeat steady, both highs and lows are worth catching.
You might check it if…
- you get muscle weakness, cramps or a fluttering heartbeat
- you’ve had a lot of vomiting or diarrhea
- you take water pills or a medicine for acne or unwanted hair
- a doctor mentioned kidney disease or high blood pressure
What your result may mean
High Potassium: what it may mean
High potassium (hyperkalemia) may be a true result or a false one, because red cells can break open in the sample (hemolysis) and leak potassium. A genuinely high level can happen with kidney failure, cell breakdown or certain medicines, including some taken for acne or unwanted hair growth tied to PCOS. A tight fist during the blood draw or a delay in processing the sample can also raise it. Muscle weakness, nausea or a fluttering heartbeat may appear, or there may be no symptoms. Because potassium can affect heart rhythm, a very high level may need prompt care, and a clinician may want a repeat test soon.
Low Potassium: what it may mean
Low potassium (hypokalemia) may mean your body is losing more than it’s taking in. It can occur with diuretics (water pills), losses from vomiting, diarrhea or frequent laxative use, high aldosterone (hyperaldosteronism) or refeeding syndrome, which can occur when eating restarts after a long stretch of very little food. Long bouts of morning sickness can lower it too. Muscle cramps, weakness, constipation or skipped heartbeats may appear, and mild cases may cause none of these. A clinician may also look at magnesium, since low magnesium can make potassium harder to correct.
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These notes provide context and do not diagnose a condition. Not yet available in NY, NJ, RI, HI, ND, SD or WV.