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low in potassium

Toffer said:
As this is about low potassium and having supplements, what do people here think of using something like a low-sodium salt substitute which has sodium-chloride replaced by potassium-chloride? Would that work?
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The problem with taking supplements for electrolyte control is that it is very crude way of trying to control it. It relies on having regular blood tests, and I am now on an annual cycle only unless there is particular reason ro jump the queue. I suspect that many are on something like bi-annual or annual too. Trouble with electolyte balance is that it varies depending on many factors. Diuretic meds for one, having the runs for any reason, eating different foods, changing the amount of salt added to a meal. As you say, type of salt.

This is not taking medical conditions into account, and there are many that can affect this . Even changing artificial sweetner brand. Drinking more coffee or swapping tea brands to decaff may alter balance.

Because there is a possibilty of getting an unsafe balance of potassium but there is no means of self monitoring on a daily basis, then I would suggest that supplementation may not be advisable especially if not dosed properly. Using low sodium salt is not IMHO a controlled dosage situation. Popping a pill is hit and miss until you have a blood test to verify the effect of the dosage. Open loop control systems without feedback are notoriously unstable.
 
If you're looking for something especially high in potassium, look for salt substitutes that list potassium chloride as the main ingredient. However, some people (including me) find those bitter if they don't list monosodium glutamate (MSG) as one of the minor ingredients.
 
donnellysdogs said:
Have you ever been loaned the 24 or 48 hour blood pressure machine to wear.

Just thinking how much my and hubby BP goes up at doctors compared to when at home.....hubby had to wear a machine and it proofed he has white coat syndrome...
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I usually have a normally low blood preassure when at the GP too, I have a blood pressure meter at home too, had it for Christmas some years ago, my daugther has very low blood pressure like 90/50 which is very seldom...

no I usually have a normal very good number for my age which is 53years and BP 117/70 I just dont like the lowest number has gone so much up like 130/95 the highest is acceptable, it has changed at the same time as I changed my foods totally, It was normally low/normal when I got diagnosis in middle june..... . well we´ll see...

usually when people loose weight and do a lot of hard training like I do now the blood pressure is lowered... I do at least 12 hours hard training a week.
 
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Toffer said:
As this is about low potassium and having supplements, what do people here think of using something like a low-sodium salt substitute which has sodium-chloride replaced by potassium-chloride? Would that work?
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hey I use a salt like that SELTIN for foods already, my daugther does most of the cookings, and I usually am not a person that remember to salt my foods... actually didn´t use much salt before my daugther started to take over cooking when becomming a vegetarian which I benefite from, but as I found out that my sodium level was under the lowest recomended level I have started to become more aware.... but still keep forgetting the salt on my foods, and now most of my foods are fresh and non industrialized so maybe all in all I do now get both a little too little sodium and potassium as i used to eat actually a lot of fruits like 4-5 pieces a day.... now reduced to 1 small or some berries every other day...

but I do eat more avocado...which is filled with potassium but not everyday as there is very much calories in and I am doing 1000 calories a day ....except from the days I train a lot it is more like 1500 calories on those days......
 
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Can't touch banana they send my BG skyrocketing, but a commitment to LCHF definitely impacts salt depletion especially with lots of fluid hydration

The body needs around 1600-1800 mg of Potassium per day,so for the last 7 months I've been supplementing.
 
The Yanks recommend 4.7 grams but be guided by U & E's.
There are plenty of foods better than bananas.
regards D.
 
my pottassium levels at my last blood teast was 3.4mmol dont know it is either low normal or high..?just checked online .. do any of you know that ?
 

On the print outs I have from my GP it says that the number should be between 3.5 and 4.4, so it seems that things are different in Denmark than they mention in your link. Your doctor probably didn't say anything because your number is absolutely fine.
My lowest through four and a half years were 3.8 and the highest 4.7. My GP never said that it was too high.
I honestly don't think you have to worry so much.
 

mine is 3.4 mmol it is lower than your lowest too, my problem is I think it has gotten even lower than that since that blood test ... and I could see it used to be normal in all earlier blood tests... the time I used to eat a lot of fruits...

potassium is helping the nutrients to get into the cells and to get out what shoudn´t anylonger be in the cells, and diabetes type two is already a desease that is defined with that the cells do not work like they actually should.
 
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I don't know where I get all that potassium from. My diet is very simple, meat, eggs, butter, cheese, cream, very few carbs, and no fruit or berries at all.
 
It is too low Freema I try to keep mine in mid 4s and better still c.5.0. Low potassium can also cause heart irregularity. regards Derek PS. different labs can have different reference ranges. If your sodium is high on your u&e's try cutting down on salt, it causes potassium loss .




Freema said:
my pottassium levels at my last blood teast was 3.4mmol dont know it is either low normal or high..?just checked online .. do any of you know that ?
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my sodium is usually too low too.. so that is not a problem except that I have to remember to use salt
 
AnnInDenmark said:
I don't know where I get all that potassium from. My diet is very simple, meat, eggs, butter, cheese, cream, very few carbs, and no fruit or berries at all.
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maybe some need more than others.... after all we are very different genetically ... if one person is dubble your size then maybe they also need much more than you just to maintain their body... and also some do flush more out when drinking much more than others... I actually train a lot and there I have to drink a lot too...
there are also a lot of vegetables with a lot of potassium potatoes sweet potatoes and avacadoes and many more, my problem is maybe that I used to get my potassium from potatoes and fruits...
 
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You may be right. Sometimes size actually matters. I hadn't thought about that.
 
Hi Freema, did they do your blood sodium when they checked your potassium? Was it outside the range by much? Should be between 135 and 145. Thanks, regards Derek .
Freema said:
my sodium is usually too low too.. so that is not a problem except that I have to remember to use salt
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lindisfel said:
Hi Freema, did they do your blood sodium when they checked your potassium? Was it outside the range by much? Should be between 135 and 145. Thanks, regards Derek .
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Usually it has been too low But last time it was okay But I Think it has become to low since that again . But the days my daugther cooks there is Some sodium added to our foods . But when alone or cooking myself I usually dont use sodium/ salt But now I'll do that esepcially when I am training a lot those days especially I won't overdo it just take a half teaspoon in Some water and also Some potassium 150mg's tablets al days I don't have fruits berries or avocado . Because I am low calories I do most days get about half of What I usually ate and that is a contributing Factor to the low in both sodium and potassium and thanks for your kind help here
 
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