Why don't we have a "Supplements" section? I goofed on Potassium.

[Voyajer]

Fitday.com doesn't have minimum RDA for potassium and you really lose potassium on a ketogic diet or on an aerobic exercise program or just when urinating a lot. I thought that 2,000 mg a day "sounded" okay, but just read a recommendation for 6,000 mg per day on this site:

http://www.tiscali.co.uk/reference/encyclopaedia/familyhealth/q_a/pages/1602.html

And minimum of 2,000 mg to 3,500 mg on this site:
http://www.suprahealth.com/potassiu.htm

I thought it was strange that sitting at the computer for long periods lately, I was getting stiff when I stood up. Low potassium! Read it in the book "Protein Power" then had reconfirmation on the threads here.

Also, a side-effect of ketosis is L-Carnitine deficiency in the first couple of weeks, but I didn't know that until the third week. To the powers-that-be, a "Supplement" section would really help.

[doreen T]

For most adults, 2500 to 3500mg per day is what the body requires. Training athletes or others who have increased sweat and body fluid losses will require more at those times.

However, it's not necessary to consume (from food and/or supplements) the full day's requirement of 2500+mg each and every day. True, some potassium is lost in the urine, sweat and stool. But in general, a significant amount of the potassium used by the body gets re-absorbed and re-circulated .... It's an efficient recycling system ;)

As noted above, extreme sweating, or other severe fluid losses such as vomiting, diarrhea and the polyuria of uncontrolled diabetes will require increased potassium intake.

Many foods are naturally high in potassium. 1 can (7 oz/ 200g) sockeye salmon - 1,391mg
1 medium california avocado - 1,097mg
1/2 pkg (5 oz/ 140g) spinach - 824mg
1 medium stalk broccoli - 526mg
1/3 cup natural sunflower seed kernels - 331mg
1/2 cup canned diced tomatoes - 290mg
1 Tbsp dutch process unsw. cocoa powder - 254mg
2 Tbsp peanut butter - 214mg
1/8 tsp potassium-salt substitute - 325 to 500mg
If you type "potassium" into the search tool, at the top right, you will come up with hundreds of results. :)

Just a note to other readers ... if you are taking medications for heart or blood pressure, or have pre-existing kidney disease, please check with your doctor or pharmacist before using potassium supplements or salt-substitutes.

Doreen

[Voyajer]

Thanks Doreen,

Good info, especially caution about blood pressure meds.

To tell if you have a potassium deficiency, here are the symptoms according to the book Protein Power, Eades, p. 145:

Q. I have been on the diet for a couple of weeks now. I felt a little tired at first, then I felt fabulous, and now, all of a sudden, I feel exhausted, and my legs ache.
A. You have described a textbook case of hypokalemia, or low blood potassium. Because the diet has such a diurectic effect on the kidneys, it often gets rid of enough potassium along with the excess fluid that some people become potassium deficient. Low potassium can cause all kinds of different symptoms such as tingling, light-headedness, fatigue, muscle aches, and especially deep muscle fatigue and cramps. We recommended that you use Morton's Lite Salt or NoSalt because these are pure potassium salts and usually will compensate for the potassium lost through the kidneys. If you aren't using these, start now. If you are, then get one of the potassium supplements listed on page 184 and start taking it. If your symptoms are from potassium deficiency, they should resolve in a matter of hours after beginning potassium supplementation.

[Danyele]

hi,

thanks for posting the symptoms. I was unaware as to what was causing the tingling feeling on the back of my hands so now I know.


Danyele

[Bonnie]

From the first day I started this WOE made sure hubby and I had our quota of potassium..never had a problem with fatigue, etc...another good source of potassium is mushrooms...we have them quite often with our meals....

Bonnie

[TX_Mama]

Is it possible to overdo the potassium? If so, what are the symptoms? Thanks.

[Natrushka]

Originally posted by TX_Mama
Is it possible to overdo the potassium? If so, what are the symptoms? Thanks.

Tx_mama, you can read more about this from a post by Doreen Here (http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?s=&postid=214973#post214973)

Nat

[Flaxie]

I really should either take out stock in the Alacer company or go to work marketing for them, because I am ALWAYS talking about their product. Emergen-C is a little packet of fizzy stuff when added to water....it's got 1000 mgs of vitamin C, all your B's, potassium, and necessary electroytes. I became a huge fan of it when my grandson was sick for 2 months with pneumonia. He had 4 rounds of antibiotics, a spinal tap (fear of meningitis) and every kind of medication there is. In desperation I called a homeopath that a friend had recommended to me. She suggested over the phone that we put Devin on 2 packets of Emergen-C a day. Within 3 days he was better. That was when he was 3, now he is 7 and has only been sick about 4 days since then. (and we immediately double him up on his daily dose of Emergen-C) I hope this helps someone.
Happy Lowcarbing,
Julee

[Voyajer]

Hey! We finally got a Supplements section!