How much potassium should I be taking during induction? I have suppliments that are 99mg.... but it says 2% DV????

2%.... that's a lot of pills!!!

I've noticed my leg muscles feel sore, and I'm wondering if I'm not getting enough potassium?

I'm drinking a ton of water, so I don't think it's dehydration.

Thanks-- this is a great group!

Misty

I find it easier to get potassium from food sources. My favorite food source is avocado.

Sorry - I cannot find an exact requirement number in my copy of DANDR or Secret to Low-Carb Success -- but maybe someone else can find it. I use "restless legs" to tell me when I need potassium.

Other food sources that are low-carb friendly are: Fish (salmon, cod, flounder, sardines), other meats, vegetables like broccoli, tomatoes, leafy green vegetables (spinach, lettuce, parsley)

Good luck!

OMG- I had restless legs last night! I didn't realize that was a sign of not having enough potassium!

Most suppliments have over 100% DV... but the potassium, purchased for just the potassium... is only 2%..... why is this? Do I need to take tons of pills?

I realize it's better to get food sources, but I'm having a tough time keeping my calories up (no appetite), so taking suppliments right now seems important.

Thank you,

Misty

Too much potassium wrecks major damage with your heart rhythm -- death -- so the amount in OTC pills is limited so that you have to work AWFULLY hard to take too much.

I'm experiencing some of the same problems, though. Current food choices aren't doing the trick; I live in an unairconditioned house in the South and do a lot of work outside, therefore lose a LOT of potassium. Thinking of a) trying the salt substitutes, which have potassium instead of sodium (but have a reputation for weird taste, right?) and b) talking to my doctor about prescription supplementation.

In the meantime, I make sure to take two or three tablets when ever my legs "feel funny" and when I come in from a hot day's work outside. So far, I've avoided leg cramps, so maybe this will be enough.

Does anybody know why we lose so much potassium on this diet in the first place?

I just took 3 of the potassium tabs (99mg each)...... in the hopes it will get rid of these muscle aches.

Thanks,

Misty

You lose the potassium because you drink so much water and pee so much! Don't stop the water however.

Yes, as Robert says, we lose potassium with the excess water we pass when low carbing.

You can replace potassium either by taking tablets, or switching to a potassium salt such as Nu Salt or No Salt (just sprinkle on your food, as with normal salt). [You don't need to take your whole daily requirement as supps - you are still taking in a lot of potassium in your food.]

The Drs Eades (authors of Protein Power) suggest that early in low carbing an extra 400mg daily is a good idea.
If you take the tablets, they should be taken in divided doses, and with food, as they may otherwise cause stomach irritation.

Are you drinking plenty of water? You will especially need plenty while taking potassium.

One more thing: People who are taking tablets for high blood pressure or fluid tablets should not take potassium supplements without first checking with their pharmacist.

HTH!

Rosebud

Botany--K+ is plentiful in plants and plant products; throughout history (I mean since the dinosaurs), it's been readily available. Our bodies never had to worry about getting enough--we were awash in it. So our kidneys don't try to conserve it at all.

Na+, OTOH, is rare in nature. This is why salt licks attract deer, why your dog licks your sweat, etc. Hard to find enough, and our bodies are built to conserve it. This is why you bloat so much when you eat too much; it takes a LOT of water before your body will let go of sodium.

Enter the modern diet, when fresh plant materials are low and salty processed snacks are high, and you have a recipe for problems. It's simply harder to get potassium when you're not eating a LOT of plant material, esp. the heavy potassium hitters like bananas and melons.

So we supplement, and pay attention to twitchly legs.

Weak, tired muscles and headachey feelings are due to low potassium.

Restless legs and muscle aching at night are classic signs of low magnesium. Magnesium works in tandem with calcium, and is required 450 - 500 mg per day. Fortunately, calcium and magnesium come together in one pill, usually 333mg cal:167mg mag. Take 3 pills per day, in divided doses, with the last one at bedtime. It'll help your sleep Fish are a good source of natural magnesium.


There are quite a few low-carb foods that are as high as, if not higher in potassium per serving than these sweet fruits. Avocadoes are especially high; half a California avocado has nearly 600mg potassium and only 2g ECC. Also, many meats and especially fish are high in potassium ... and are zero carbs

• 3 oz red salmon has 650 mg
• 1 cup of crabmeat .. 500 mg
• 3 oz. fresh halibut has 490mg
• 3 oz tuna .. 480 mg
• 3 oz sole or flounder .. 450 mg
• 3 oz lean roast pork .. 390 mg
• 3 oz lean roast lamb .. 340 mg
• 3 oz lean roast beef .. 320 mg
• 3 oz chicken breast .. 300 mg

In healthy persons, our kidneys recycle and retain a certain amount of potassium every day. So although the daily requirement is 2500mg -- more if you're sweating or losing a lot of fluids -- some of that will be recycled from the previous day. It's generally not necessary to take in the full requirement on a daily basis. OTOH, if you do ingest more over the course of the day, then healthy kidneys will deal with it just fine. Persons with diseased kidneys, and persons taking certain medications for blood pressure or certain diuretics may need to restrict potassium intake. As Rosebud noted, speak to your dr or pharmacist if you're taking these medications. (ACE-inhibitors, spironolactone)
The amount of potassium in the pills is small to prevent stomach irritation, not because it's lethal. The pills also have a hard coating which delays their absorption ... again, to avoid stomach irritation. Do not crush or chew potassium pills, and make sure you take with a full glass of water.

While it's true that excess potassium in the blood can cause heart disturbance, and is dangerous if allowed to get TOO high, for most healthy persons this isn't a problem because the kidneys will regulate and excrete any excess amount. The danger is persons with kidney disease or medications as noted above .. these will cause the kidneys to retain excess potassium and it will accumulate gradually until the person becomes ill. Acute potassium overdose happens almost exclusively from direct IV bolus into the bloodstream ... The potassium in pills and in food does not zoom from the stomach directly to the heart; there's a bit of a delay due to digestion


Healthy eating to all


Doreen