Potasssium Power Up

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bombshellcertification
bombshellcertification Posts: 126 Member
in Food and Nutrition
My reports are showing very low potassium and I have suffered from two stomach cramps during work outs ( one during kickbox other during Spin....both times it happened half way through about 30 minutes in I was told to drink Gatorade that I needed potassium...which based on my report would make sense--and both times I did get fast relief within a few minutes15 of Gatorade.

Besides bananas or gatorade, any ideas or suggestions for more potassium AND have been feeling sluggish could this be part of the problem?

Ive been doing cardio at least 5x a week and light weights at least 3x sometimes combining...

How does postassium help or hurt outcome in weight loss , building muscle or just in general?

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  • _HeartsOnFire_
    _HeartsOnFire_ Posts: 5,304 Member
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    They make potassium pills.

    This link may also help.
    http://healthmeup.com/news-diet-fitness/post-workout-food-importance-of-potassium-and-magnesium-for-recovery/20987
  • Sedna_51
    Sedna_51 Posts: 277 Member
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    Weirdly enough, I have the opposite problem- I have a little too much potassium in my blood (due to both a kidney transplant and medications I'm on). High-potassium foods include tomatoes, potatoes, beans, yogurt, bananas, dark leafy greens, dried fruits, most citrus fruits and juices, avocados, and pretty much all nuts, as well as salt substitutes. Try including some more of those foods in your diet on a regular basis (handful of nuts for a snack, orange or grapefruit with lunch) and see if that shores up your levels a bit.
  • jstout365
    jstout365 Posts: 1,686 Member
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    High-potassium foods include tomatoes, potatoes, beans, yogurt, bananas, dark leafy greens, dried fruits, most citrus fruits and juices, avocados, and pretty much all nuts, as well as salt substitutes. Try including some more of those foods in your diet on a regular basis (handful of nuts for a snack, orange or grapefruit with lunch) and see if that shores up your levels a bit.

    All of that.

    The sluggish could be due to low calories or low carbs. You are doing a lot of activity and you need the right fuel to support that. Without knowing what your eating in general, hard to say, but my first guess would be you could stand to add some calories.
  • SonicDeathMonkey80
    SonicDeathMonkey80 Posts: 4,489 Member
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    Eat a sweet potato.
  • bombshellcertification
    bombshellcertification Posts: 126 Member
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    They make potassium pills.

    This link may also help.
    http://healthmeup.com/news-diet-fitness/post-workout-food-importance-of-potassium-and-magnesium-for-recovery/20987

    Thank you for link grace it simple and too the point! Makes sense
  • bombshellcertification
    bombshellcertification Posts: 126 Member
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    Weirdly enough, I have the opposite problem- I have a little too much potassium in my blood (due to both a kidney transplant and medications I'm on). High-potassium foods include tomatoes, potatoes, beans, yogurt, bananas, dark leafy greens, dried fruits, most citrus fruits and juices, avocados, and pretty much all nuts, as well as salt substitutes. Try including some more of those foods in your diet on a regular basis (handful of nuts for a snack, orange or grapefruit with lunch) and see if that shores up your levels a bit.

    Interesting that you have too much, and I do enjoy greek yogurt, dried fruits and nuts regularly, citrus fruits...need more leafy greens, beans and tomatoes...and avocados which I love..thank you for suggestions
  • bombshellcertification
    bombshellcertification Posts: 126 Member
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    Eat a sweet potato.

    Thank you Sonic, I had no idea SP have potassium and I LOVE SP so will remember to add them...and make some baked SP chips.
  • bombshellcertification
    bombshellcertification Posts: 126 Member
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    High-potassium foods include tomatoes, potatoes, beans, yogurt, bananas, dark leafy greens, dried fruits, most citrus fruits and juices, avocados, and pretty much all nuts, as well as salt substitutes. Try including some more of those foods in your diet on a regular basis (handful of nuts for a snack, orange or grapefruit with lunch) and see if that shores up your levels a bit.

    All of that.

    The sluggish could be due to low calories or low carbs. You are doing a lot of activity and you need the right fuel to support that. Without knowing what your eating in general, hard to say, but my first guess would be you could stand to add some calories.

    Is hitting the red line for Potassium the ideal amount? I'm not sure how many calories to add..I think I have been eating back a good portion..hard to tell if I need more or not...feel free to peak at my diary. I have been high in the carb department & sugar (though I don't understand as it has to be mostly natural sugars as I am not a big junk foodie...The link grace posted says potassium in 300 range...
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    A lot of entries in MFP are from users, and many probably don't enter that info, so first of all, be sure you really are low, by using the correct database input. That said, sweet potato, potato, banana all have a lot of potassium, you can also get seasoning that tastes like sale but uses potassium instead of sodium.
  • SonicDeathMonkey80
    SonicDeathMonkey80 Posts: 4,489 Member
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    Eat a sweet potato.

    Thank you Sonic, I had no idea SP have potassium and I LOVE SP so will remember to add them...and make some baked SP chips.

    I eat them about every other day. I mash em, nuke em whole, slice them and put em on my cast iron grill top, mandolin into fries and broil em, etc. I love them too!
  • Jestinia
    Jestinia Posts: 1,154 Member
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    Sun dried tomatoes. Regular ole tomatoes and tomato sauce. Raisins. Coffee for small calorie free amounts. Potatoes and sweet potatoes. Dried apricots. Beans. Yogurt and milk.
  • corgicake
    corgicake Posts: 846 Member
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    If you're not wanting to blow a ton of calories on racking up potassium, what I like to do is take potato slices and dip them in a cup of low sodium V8.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    They make potassium pills.

    This link may also help.
    http://healthmeup.com/news-diet-fitness/post-workout-food-importance-of-potassium-and-magnesium-for-recovery/20987

    Thank you for link grace it simple and too the point! Makes sense

    I would not advise supplementing with potassium without your doctor being on bored...like you're actually deficient. Fact is that potassium is not required on food labels..since most entries on MFP come from food levels, there are any number of food items that contain potassium, it's just not listed. Most people aren't potassium deficient and don't have issues here.

    If you're really concerned, google high potassium foods and start there before turning to pills and supplements...they really aren't necessary here, a good and well balanced diet should provide you all of the potassium you need.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
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    Before you start supplementing you need to understand that Potassium is not required to be listed on nutrition labels and most of the entries here do not have it listed even if the food contains it. It is possible you are getting more than you think due to this fact.
    Supplementation is not always the answer. For your frequent foods, I'd start looking for the entries or changing to reflect the correct amount before you go supplementing.
  • bombshellcertification
    bombshellcertification Posts: 126 Member
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    They make potassium pills.

    This link may also help.
    http://healthmeup.com/news-diet-fitness/post-workout-food-importance-of-potassium-and-magnesium-for-recovery/20987

    Thank you for link grace it simple and too the point! Makes sense

    I would not advise supplementing with potassium without your doctor being on bored...like you're actually deficient. Fact is that potassium is not required on food labels..since most entries on MFP come from food levels, there are any number of food items that contain potassium, it's just not listed. Most people aren't potassium deficient and don't have issues here.

    If you're really concerned, google high potassium foods and start there before turning to pills and supplements...they really aren't necessary here, a good and well balanced diet should provide you all of the potassium you need.
    3dog and wolf thank you for explaining --the cramps were just such a set back...and want to be able to work out and continue..

    Agreed regarding no supplementing with pills etc at this point, I'm big on trying to get my nurtrients, vitamins from whole foods as much as possible within diet...And thanks everyone for the suggestions and the Link posted by grace really does simplify and explain function of potassium..
  • bombshellcertification
    bombshellcertification Posts: 126 Member
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    The idea of having enough pre workout and during recovery makes sense..going to amp up some of the food suggestions...
  • Jestinia
    Jestinia Posts: 1,154 Member
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    Also coconut water. I knew I forgot a major one.
  • bombshellcertification
    bombshellcertification Posts: 126 Member
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    Also coconut water. I knew I forgot a major one.

    Thank You Jestina
    I actually just downed an 80z glass today and will bring to work outs instead of Gatorade..also the tomatoe sauce, sundried tomatoes..too. I really lived on pasta & sauce...since cutting out pasta I have not been eating nearly as much tomato sauce or tomatoes etc...but that could be too...I would eat pasta with sauce at the very least twice a week, Ill just have it with brown rice and add to other dishes too..

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