Well, sadly having a variety of health problems, it seems I've experienced a variety of weird things including a fairly bad potassium deficiency. Years ago, I was taking a diuretic and some other med that can deplete potassium. Do you think my doctor at the time told me to eat foods high I potassium??? NOPE. One day, I was washing the dishes and all of a sudden my fingers spasamed. Not sure if that is how you say or spell it. I lost total control of my muscles in my hands and it was frightening. I called his emergency number...actually my husband did as I was having trouble using my fingers.
He told us to eat a lot of bananas and drink a lot orange juice. Then come in for a blood test and he would determine of I needed potassium supplements. If I recall correctly, he never gave me supplements....just told me to continue eating bananas, etc. So, in answer to your question....I personally know it can cause muscle spasms and I suspect it can really mess with your heart!!!!
I was young then and trying to cope with being newly diagnosed with Lupus and hardly paid attention to that experience and I'm actually glad you reminded me of it. If that happened to me now, I would demand to see my blood test results.
I do know that every time I've been hospitalized, out comes the IV Bag of potassium. Hmmm.
Just drank a full glass of the low salt v8. Probably will ask that my count be checked at my next blood test!
I think when on a diet and/or taking certain meds, it's very easy to run into trouble re: having enough potassium.
I'm looking for that darn water high in Potassium...and will check out Auntie Audrey's other thread.