Do You Have Low Potassium On Low Carb?

[cz_dave]

I read that having low potassium is quite common on low carbohydrate diets. In fact my potassium levels are on the lowish side.

Stephen D. Phinney, one of the evangelists of low-carbohydrate diets, recommends to up one's sodium intake and argues that that should also keep one's potassium levels in range.

What's everyone's experience? Do you suffer from low potassium? Do you take any supplements or try to eat potassium rich foods?

 

[Mr_Pot]

I read that having low potassium is quite common on low carbohydrate diets. In fact my potassium levels are on the lowish side.

Stephen D. Phinney, one of the evangelists of low-carbohydrate diets, recommends to up one's sodium intake and argues that that should also keep one's potassium levels in range.

What's everyone's experience? Do you suffer from low potassium? Do you take any supplements or try to eat potassium rich foods?

That doesn't sound right, I think this article suggests it works the other way around.
https://healthyeating.sfgate.com/potassium-reduce-sodium-10172.html

 

[Freema]

potassium is not something one should take a lot of if not knowing if one is too low in that... too much potassium can affect the heart badly
so .. please have your levels measured at your GP before taking supplementation

by the way, a lot of vegetables also are high in potassium.
https://www.myfooddata.com/articles/high-potassium-vegetables.php

 

[cz_dave]

That doesn't sound right, I think this article suggests it works the other way around.
https://healthyeating.sfgate.com/potassium-reduce-sodium-10172.html

This is how it works on low carbohydrate diet according to Phinney (quoting from his book The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Living):

"At some point, when confronted with this low sodium intake plus carbohydrate restriction, most people’s defense mechanisms can’t maintain normal mineral balances. So the body’s next level of defense is for the adrenal gland to secrete the hormone aldosterone, which makes kidney tubular cells excrete potassium in order to conserve sodium.That is, the body wastes some of its intracellular potassium in order to cling to whatever sodium it can. However unless there is copious potassium coming in from the diet, this excess urinary potassium comes from the body’s potassium pool inside cells. Two things then happen. First, nerve and muscle cells don’t work well, leading to cardiac dysrhythmias and muscle cramps. Second, because potassium is an obligate component of lean tissue, the body starts losing muscle even if there’s plenty of protein in the diet. Clearly none of these effects of sodium restriction are desirable, particularly when one is trying to lose body fat while retaining as much lean tissue as possible. Luckily, if in the context of a low carbohydrate diet you give the subject/patient a total of 5 grams of sodium per day (for example 2-3 grams on their food and 2 grams as broth/bouillon), none of these bad things happen."

My reading is that for some people on a low carb diet, extra sodium intake is necessary to maintain healthy levels of potassium.

 

[Freema]

yes
low carbers need a bit of ekstra salt in their food

 

[Mr_Pot]

Reading @cz_dave 's quote I now read the article I quoted differently. If you are not getting enough sodium then your body will balance it by getting rid of potassium. In that case the OP could have more sodium to increase his potassium retention as he says. If he already has enough sodium then some potassium rich vegetables are probably the answer.

 

[ghost_whistler]

potassium is not something one should take a lot of if not knowing if one is too low in that... too much potassium can affect the heart badly
so .. please have your levels measured at your GP before taking supplementation

by the way, a lot of vegetables also are high in potassium.
https://www.myfooddata.com/articles/high-potassium-vegetables.php

Right, but you have to eat a LOT to get the recommended amount, assuming that is correct

 

[Oldvatr]

According to this source, it is unlikely to be diet related
https://www.medicinenet.com/low_pot...le.htm#what_are_the_symptoms_of_low_potassium

 

[Freema]

Right, but you have to eat a LOT to get the recommended amount, assuming that is correct

I had some high dose potassium pills from a fitness site, they immediately did have my heart pump very fast and hard and it was very unpleasant

 

[Mr_Pot]

According to this source, it is unlikely to be diet related
https://www.medicinenet.com/low_pot...le.htm#what_are_the_symptoms_of_low_potassium

Maybe they say it is unlikely to be diet related because they assume a "normal" varied diet. Someone on a low carb diet will not eat the bananas, oranges and apricots they suggest as a source of potassium, for example.

 

[Oldvatr]

Maybe they say it is unlikely to be diet related because they assume a "normal" varied diet. Someone on a low carb diet will not eat the bananas, oranges and apricots they suggest as a source of potassium, for example.

Most foods have potassium in them. It is difficult to have a low potassium diet, and anyone with CKD or AKI has problems reducing their intake. Some thyroid problems may make things worse, amd many diabetics also have some form of thyroid issue concurrent.

The body does indeed try to maintain an electrolyte balance, but it does this by filtering out excesses. Thus increasing sodium intake will not necessarily compensate for low potassium levels, since that may be due to inherent non dietary issues. As you point out it may be difficult for T2D and low carbers to increase intake of potassium, using the foods you mention above, but meat and dairy foods are quite well endowed too. So a vegan low carber might struggle.