Low Carbers: Do You Take Nutritional Supplements?

[Grateful]

I seem to recall reading at least one of the low-carb gurus who said you do have to take nutritional supplements if you go very low-carb or keto. So my question for the low-carbers here, especially the long-term ones, is whether you do take such supplements and if so, which.

(I am extremely reluctant to do this because I prefer to get everything I need from real food.)

Thanks!

 

[Hammer1964]

The only supplement I take is Omega 3 oil because I don’t eat fish.

 

[Brunneria]

My body doesn't seem to absorb some nutrients properly, no matter how much of it is present in the food I eat.

For example, my diet has PLENTY of potassium, and my blood tests always show adequate levels. Yet i will have regular cramps unless I supplement too. I just figure my potassium requirements are higher than 'average', or i absorb less of it.

I currently taking
Vit D3 (to combat chronic deficiency) with K2 to help the D3 work
Potassium
Magnesium
Chromium
Natural source vit C
Krill oil
B12
R-ala

 

[Alexandra100]

I seem to recall reading at least one of the low-carb gurus who said you do have to take nutritional supplements if you go very low-carb or keto. So my question for the low-carbers here, especially the long-term ones, is whether you do take such supplements and if so, which.

(I am extremely reluctant to do this because I prefer to get everything I need from real food.)

Thanks!

I do take some supplements, particularly D3 because I live in the North of England, but I think real food is much more likely to work, as well as being much much cheaper. I am taking a B vitamin as recommended by Jenny Ruhl for those not eating any grains. I worry about the fillers and capsule shells that come with the desired ingredients in supplements, too. As I sink ever lower carb, I am hoping that my body can take what it needs even from very small portions of a variety of foods. So, I eat one cherry tomato and a small amount of raw carrot daily. (Perhaps even every other day would be enough.) Since I gave up my morning porridge, yoghurt, psyllium, linseed and other good things I used to eat with it seem to have dropped out of my diet. Writing this reminds me to find a way to reconnect with them.

 

[miahara]

I don't take any. Since my diagnosis and going LCHF I reckon my diet is far better than ever it was due to the quantity and wide variety of veg I eat (much of it home grown) as well as low carb berries and fruit. I also eat oily fish two or three times a week and spend a lot of time out of doors soaking up vitamin D.

 

[Rachox]

I don’t consider myself a guru! However I do take supplements.
I take Vit D and calcium, I’ve taken this from before Diabetes, advised by my GP as I have oesteoarthritis.
I take Vit C and zinc as some years ago I spent the whole of winter going from one cold to another, now I get one mild one if that each winter.
I take Vit B complex as I have double risk of deficiency, especially B12 due to being on Metformin and a PPI (Esomeprazole).
I also use Flaxseed, Chia seeds, Psyllium husk and Benecol to try and reduce my cholesterol to avoid Statins.
Blimey I sound like a right old health freak!

 

[Guzzler]

I have always steered away from supplements but this year my GP prescribed vitD as I was found to be deficient. I am toying with the idea of taking R-ALA, vitD and vitB12 supplements but the problem is that I canfind no firm evidence on dosages. Until then, I will hold off as none of these tablets are cheap.

 

[AlexJD]

I’ve been keto for a bit, not taking any supplement, and never felt better in my life! I think when you go low carb/keto you mechanically have to widen your food options and end up eating a much more diverse range of food, which in turn means that you’re not necessarily likely to have nutrient deficiencies. I’d echo what other members have said above: we all have different needs and different bodies with varying absorption/metabolisation rates. Maybe you could try a diet that works for you and makes you feel good, and monitor how it goes? You might just end up not needing any supplement at all like many of us!

 

[Goonergal]

I take magnesium to help with cramps.

 

[Rachox]

I take magnesium to help with cramps.

Oh I forgot, I use magnesium oil rubbed into my feet and ankles to prevent night cramps

 

[Grateful]

Maybe you could try a diet that works for you and makes you feel good, and monitor how it goes? You might just end up not needing any supplement at all like many of us!

I've been on a low-carb diet for the past nine months (see signature). I have felt great all along. I did however have some minor episodes of "racing heart" that began a few weeks into the diet (there is a separate thread about that in this forum). The advice given in that thread was that I might have a potassium deficiency. Indeed, when I calculated the potassium content of my low-carb diet, it turned out to be only a fraction of the recommended daily allowance, which is 4,700mg.

So I did some research about foods high in potassium, and found that it would be virtually impossible to get the daily recommended amount of potassium solely from eating "real food" while staying on a low-carb diet. If you want the details of my research, see that "Racing Heart" thread. It includes a list of potassium-rich foods.

Hence, I regretfully started wondering whether I'd have to make up the potassium deficiency with a supplement pill. BTW, as I understand it, almost no-one could possibly be eating enough potassium! (Those who are *not* low-carbers have some extra potassium options such as potatos, but even so, it would appear to be hard even for them.)

I will be mentioning this to my doctor when I see him next week for a routine diabetes follow-up.

Edited to add: I started this thread to try to tease out a more general issue, namely, how do people make up for any nutritional gaps that might exist in a low-carb diet.

 

[Grateful]

Always get leg cramps without potassium.

In what form are you taking extra potassium? Thanks.

(BTW I just checked my last renal function test and the potassium level was normal. But that was before I went on the low-carb diet. I am seeing my doctor next week and will ask about that.)

 

[Bluetit1802]

I have been low carbing since 2014 and have never taken any supplements (other than R-ALA)

My belief is that if we have a deficiency somewhere we will see symptoms, and will see deterioration in our blood markers if we analyse our results carefully enough.

My blood tests don't include iron, folate, ferritin, vitamin B12 or vitamin D. I decided it was about time I knew where I was with these, so I asked for them to be included in my last-but-one test, and my doctor obliged.

If I had symptoms, or if my blood markers were dicey, I would consider supplements. I take the R-ALA for my chemo-induced foot neuropathy and because it is supposed to be good for lots of other things.

 

[CoastGirl]

I take Vit D oral spray combined with K2 from October to March as I found, after testing, it had dropped quite low during the winter months. I also take Vit B12 oral spray and krill oil every day.

I tested the Vit D privately but think I might ask my GP, on my next visit, to test my iron, ferritin, folate and B12 levels as I think these are all appear important markers.

As @Brunneria has found, I don't think my absorption levels are great although I eat a diet rich in a diversity of vegetables.

 

[sally and james]

Neither of us take any supplements, either orally or applied, and we have both been 'very low carb' for over four years. We do eat meat, some offal, oily fish, lots of dark green veg. and salad leaves, cheese, butter, animal fats, olive oil eggs, nuts, red wine and are generous with applications of sea salt.
The only time I have ever felt the need to supplement (and this was pre-low carb as well as the last four years) has been in a very hot climate, where I need extra salt to avoid leg cramps.
Sally

 

[Bluetit1802]

Neither of us take any supplements, either orally or applied, and we have both been 'very low carb' for over four years. We do eat meat, some offal, oily fish, lots of dark green veg. and salad leaves, cheese, butter, animal fats, olive oil eggs, nuts, red wine and are generous with applications of sea salt.
The only time I have ever felt the need to supplement (and this was pre-low carb as well as the last four years) has been in a very hot climate, where I need extra salt to avoid leg cramps.
Sally

Exchange lots of dark green veg for lots of mushrooms and tomatoes then rub out the nuts, and we have similar diets! Animal products of all types seem to keep me healthy. It must be very hard for vegans, and they do need to supplement.

 

[sally and james]

lots of mushrooms and tomatoes

I forgot them! Sometimes I don't know how I find time to eat it all. May have to start forcing down a few snacks!!
Sally

 

[Alexandra100]

2 tablets / day, purchased off the shelf, each containing 3% RDA (recommended daily allowance). The cramps in my calves and the arches of my feet were very intense. Even to the point my calf was bruised for days afterwards. Trying potassium, after a recommendation, corrected the problem. When the cramps start to come back I remember I forgot to take the tablets. It's very predictable. The 3% dose seems small to me and probably that size because too much pot. can have some other health effects. So you might want to read up on what too much will do.
I also take magnesium citrate, which has also been suggested.

Taking supplemental potassium could be risky if you happen to have impaired kidney function, as is the case with many elderly people. (It is said to be quite usual for kidney function to halve by the age of 60 - sorry, I can't quote chapter and verse for this.)

 

[Grateful]

Thank you, this discussion has been most useful. As a result of your responses I am changing tack a bit in my list of questions for the doctor, who I am seeing Wednesday for routine diabetes follow-up.

Instead of focusing on specific nutrients such as potassium, I have decided to say something like this: "I have now been on an extremely low-carb diet for the past nine months. I feel great. But do you think you could order blood tests to check that I still have my nutrients in good balance? They were OK before the T2 diagnosis, but I just want to make sure I am getting it right."

I am in America, and these broad-ranging blood tests are usually done only once a year (otherwise I just get the A1C every three months). I am hoping the doctor will agree that there is a good medical reason to do the full tests a bit earlier, in this case.

 

[Bluetit1802]

Thank you, this discussion has been most useful. As a result of your responses I am changing tack a bit in my list of questions for the doctor, who I am seeing Wednesday for routine diabetes follow-up.

Instead of focusing on specific nutrients such as potassium, I have decided to say something like this: "I have now been on an extremely low-carb diet for the past nine months. I feel great. But do you think you could order blood tests to check that I still have my nutrients in good balance? They were OK before the T2 diagnosis, but I just want to make sure I am getting it right."

I am in America, and these broad-ranging blood tests are usually done only once a year (otherwise I just get the A1C every three months). I am hoping the doctor will agree that there is a good medical reason to do the full tests a bit earlier, in this case.

That sounds very sensible and reasonable to me. I didn't even have to give a reason to my GP. I told the receptionist over the phone that I would like some extra vit and mineral tests with my normal ones, and she sent my request through to the GP who signed it off on my blood test request sheet. Job done. I hope it is as easy for you.