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Sodium & Potassium on blood test

Bob314159
Bob314159 Posts: 1,178 Member
edited November 16 in Social Groups
I started doubling my sodium intake and increasing my potassium about 2 weeks ago. I had a blood test a week ago. Does that show the effect of my change?

Sodium is on the higher end of normal, potassium mid range. I'm guessing the "normal" range might be considered too low by many people here.

Replies

  • Sunny_Bunny_
    Sunny_Bunny_ Posts: 7,140 Member
    No. Being in normal range is perfect. It just takes higher daily intake to get and stay there while keto.
  • RAC56
    RAC56 Posts: 432 Member
    Bob314159 wrote: »
    I started doubling my sodium intake and increasing my potassium about 2 weeks ago. I had a blood test a week ago. Does that show the effect of my change?

    Sodium is on the higher end of normal, potassium mid range. I'm guessing the "normal" range might be considered too low by many people here.

    Two weeks should be long enough to reflect the difference. Do you mind if I ask what your numbers were?

  • Bob314159
    Bob314159 Posts: 1,178 Member
    measurements in Canadian/European units

    Sodium 143 135-145 mmol/L
    Potassium 4.7 3.5-5.2 mmol/L

    also - why would these be low

    RBC LO 4.32 4.50 - 6.00 x E12/L
    Hemoglobin LO 134 135 - 175 g/L
    Hematocrit LO 0.398 0.400 - 0.500 L/L
  • Sunny_Bunny_
    Sunny_Bunny_ Posts: 7,140 Member
    Even 2 days or 2 hours is long enough.
    When my daughter was hospitalized for DKA they tested her electrolytes every 4 hours. Changes show up very quickly with electrolytes. That's why we always say you have to be mindful of needs on a daily basis and whenever you might be losing more water than usual. Because the low insulin state doesn't allow your kidneys to stock pile sodium.
    If there is one thing I wish could become a low carb public service announcement, its this!

    Electrolytes are crucial. Even once my daughters blood sugar and blood ph returned to normal she had to stay in ICU until electrolytes were back up too. Even simple low electrolytes were important enough to remain hospitalized for. It's no joke.
    You get a little too much sodium, you'll just pee it out. Don't get enough, you might be on the floor. I'll opt for the risk of overdoing it...
  • ut26a22
    ut26a22 Posts: 14 Member
    What Sunny_Bunny_ said. Dietary intake of electrolytes will show up in blood tests within an hour, often less than that. Yours look great. Also don't worry about the RBC, and H&H. Those are part of a CBC (complete blood count) and are barely outside the normal range. Red Blood cell production and destruction can fluctuate and dangerous levels are much, much lower than the normal range. Values at or below the "normal range" could easily be normal for you. If in repeated testing they continue to drop then you should definitely discuss it with your MD but I wouldn't be concerned.
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