Managing Hyperkalemia: Another Benefit of Exercise in People With Chronic Kidney Disease?

People with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are at increased risk of hyperkalemia, an electrolyte abnormality that can cause serious, sometimes fatal, cardiac arrhythmias. Muscle contraction causes potassium to be released from cells, increasing serum potassium concentrations. However, these effects are transient, and the long-term impact of exercise training on hyperkalemia risk in CKD patients is largely unknown. In this review, we examine the effects of exercise on factors affecting potassium balance in people with CKD, highlighting the potential benefits of regular exercise on hyperkalemia risk in this population. Although regular exercise is already recommended for people with CKD, research examining this hypothesis may lead to novel therapeutic treatments for this life-threatening condition.