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  #1   ^
Old Thu, Apr-21-16, 08:13
eracer eracer is offline
New Member
Posts: 3
 
Plan: ruled.me 30-day starter
Stats: 270/264/200 Male 69"
BF:
Progress:
Default Please critique the advice I'm giving others

I am three weeks into ketosis, and I'm getting involved in a number of discussions. I've been reading a lot, and I'm smart enough to know how little I actually know.

I share info with people who are ignorant but interested about ketosis, as well as those who are low-carbers asking for advice with a particular issue. I recently posted this on another forum for a member who said he was suffering from fatigue and was advised by his doctor to increase potassium intake. He said he was low-carb, but ate bananas for K.

Please critique what I wrote him:

I'm just changing over to ketosis. I'm three weeks into it and one of the issues I've been having (and talking about in my other threads on the subject) is elevated blood pressure and heart rate.

My interweb research has led me to these conclusions:

- More sodium and potassium is needed. Ketosis results in lower insulin levels, and the body starts eliminating sodium and potassium. More of each is needed (2-4 grams of salt , and 99mg of potassium is suggested.) with that much salt, you need to drink a lot of water - I'm drinking a gallon of water a day.

- Ketosis causes serum uric acid levels to rise (usually for 4-6 weeks, at which point they return to normal levels.) The cause is considered to be protein harvesting to create glycogen through gluconeogenesis. The body breaks down muscle in the first stage of ketosis because it has not fully adapted to a life without glucose. After 6 weeks the body quits resisting, and begins to preferentially burn fat instead of protein. That's why it's important to eat a sufficient quantity of protein, but not so much that your body is making enough glucose to stop ketosis.

Also, uric acid is a vasoconstrictor, and in my case (being hypertensive) elevated blood pressure can result. I manage my BP with Benicar HCT, which is a vasodilator, and the low dose I'm taking probably gets overwhelmed by the uric acid. Potassium helps with uric acid clearance, thus limiting its negative effects. Again, research shows that uric acid levels return to normal once the body is fully keto-adapted, so I will reevaluate how much potassium I take once I'm in ketosis for 6 weeks. Getting potassium from avocados is better than from bananas.

- Magnesium is important for many aspects of health, and most people are deficient. This is especially true in ketosis, since the body is excreting ions like Na, Cl, and Mg. It's important to note that some forms of magnesium can have potent laxative effects (magnesium citrate is sold as a laxative) and you need to know which version to take, and how to determine your tolerance dose. Magnesium Glycinate is the best for most people, because it is the most easily absorbed, and has the least laxative effect. It's hard to find though, and it's probably best to order it online. Here's a good link about magnesium:

Magnesium malate -- Magnesium malate is a fantastic choice for people suffering from fatigue, since malic acid -- a natural fruit acid present in most cells in the body -- is a vital component of enzymes that play a key role in ATP synthesis and energy production. Since the ionic bonds of magnesium and malic acid are easily broken, magnesium malate is also highly soluble.


A week ago I started taking 500mg of magnesium and 99mg of potassium a day when my BP shot up. It stayed elevated for about 4 days, but has returned to normal two days ago. In fact it was quite low when I got home from work last night (107/72) which I don't think I've ever seen. My normal (pre-ketosis, with meds) was 125/80. This morning it was 126/80, which is fine.

I hope adding those two minerals to your diet helps you, OP.
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  #2   ^
Old Thu, Apr-21-16, 08:23
MickiSue MickiSue is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 8,006
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 189/148.6/145 Female 5' 5"
BF:36%/28%/25%
Progress: 92%
Location: Twin Cities, MN
Default

I think that I would have shortened it up a little...people tend to have really short attention spans, and don't necessarily read such a long, detailed post.

But beyond that, the elephant in the living room for HIM is that he thinks he's low carbing, but eats bananas. ACK!

Here's a simple response. See if you like it.

When we eat low carb, our bodies don't store sodium, because it's insulin that carries it to the fat cells along with the carbs. So, you might be low on sodium.

Even more important, sodium regulates the levels of other electrolytes, including potassium. Instead of eating high carb, low nutrient bananas, try using something called lite salt.

It's in the grocery store, by the salt. Instead of a dark blue container, the container is light blue.

There is a whole raft of electrolytes that we need. But these two are a great start. ADD SALT, because you need more than if you eat a lot of carbs. Get your potassium.

And then start learning about the others.
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  #3   ^
Old Thu, Apr-21-16, 08:26
Nancy LC's Avatar
Nancy LC Nancy LC is offline
Experimenter
Posts: 25,842
 
Plan: DDF
Stats: 202/185.4/179 Female 67
BF:
Progress: 72%
Location: San Diego, CA
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Quote:
with that much salt, you need to drink a lot of water - I'm drinking a gallon of water a day.

I disagree with this. Liquid flushes minerals out of your body. Drink according to your thirst. There's no need to drink more water, or anything else. In fact, hyponatremia happens when you do just that, although it'll probably take more than a gallon. And that is something that can actually kill you.

A few years back a young man fainted at our office. Turns out he'd been drinking a ton of water, probably doing some sort of flush, and he ended up with clinical "dehydration" because his electrolytes were so depleted from all the water he drank.

I trot this out whenever I see the water thing pop up:

A kidney doctor on water myths

Too much water causes dehydration: http://www.menshealth.com/health/are-you-overhydrated

Last edited by Nancy LC : Thu, Apr-21-16 at 12:45.
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  #4   ^
Old Thu, Apr-21-16, 10:36
teaser's Avatar
teaser teaser is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 15,075
 
Plan: mostly milkfat
Stats: 190/152.4/154 Male 67inches
BF:
Progress: 104%
Location: Ontario
Default

On a ketogenic diet causing an increase in uric acid causing vasoconstriction and elevated blood pressure--the evidence in people actually eating a ketogenic diet goes the other way, it's more common for blood pressure to go down than up. In fact people on blood pressure medication need to be careful, they can end up overmedicated due to this.

Uric acid might raise blood pressure, all else being equal--but there's so much else going on metabolically during the shift to a ketogenic diet that that's normally irrelevant.
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