Potassium question.

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Wynnie
Wynnie Posts: 225 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I'm not supposed to have Vitamin K for several weeks (because it would work against a blood thinner I'm taking).

I have one mamma of a foot cramp and want to take a potassium supplement to help that. Does anyone know if Vitamin K is the same thing as Potassium?

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  • Wynnie
    Wynnie Posts: 225 Member
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    I'm not supposed to have Vitamin K for several weeks (because it would work against a blood thinner I'm taking).

    I have one mamma of a foot cramp and want to take a potassium supplement to help that. Does anyone know if Vitamin K is the same thing as Potassium?
  • BrandNewLaura
    BrandNewLaura Posts: 1,650 Member
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    I did a quick Google search and found this:

    http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Why_isn't_potassium_the_same_as_vitamin_K

    Why isn't potassium the same as vitamin K?

    Vitamin K is known as Phylloquinone. It is a substance that promotes the clotting of the blood. Potassium, on the other hand, is a chemical element with the periodic symbol \"K\"- they're two different things.
  • Wynnie
    Wynnie Posts: 225 Member
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    I did a quick Google search and found this:

    http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Why_isn't_potassium_the_same_as_vitamin_K

    Why isn't potassium the same as vitamin K?

    Vitamin K is known as Phylloquinone. It is a substance that promotes the clotting of the blood. Potassium, on the other hand, is a chemical element with the periodic symbol \"K\"- they're two different things.

    Oh my hero!!! I was looking too and wasn't finding it. Thanks!
  • ErinRNinMaine
    ErinRNinMaine Posts: 460 Member
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    Don't forget to avoid those leafy greens either, Wynnie!
  • artnoren
    artnoren Posts: 54
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    I'm on Warfarin, a bood thinner, and I have a prescription for two potassium tablets a day. I also eat a lot of dark leafy vegtables which contain vitamin K. The anticoagulant clinic has adjusted my warfarin to accomodate the amount of vitamin K. The key is consistancy. I always eat the same amounts of leafy greens and other foods that contain vitamin K.
  • ErinRNinMaine
    ErinRNinMaine Posts: 460 Member
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    I'm on Warfarin, a bood thinner, and I have a prescription for two potassium tablets a day. I also eat a lot of dark leafy vegtables which contain vitamin K. The anticoagulant clinic has adjusted my warfarin to accomodate the amount of vitamin K. The key is consistancy. I always eat the same amounts of leafy greens and other foods that contain vitamin K.

    You are absolutely right. I should have specified I meant during the two weeks she was supposed to avoid vitamin K. Then, yes, consistancy is the key.
  • songbyrdsweet
    songbyrdsweet Posts: 5,691 Member
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    You'd also have to eat a boatload of dark leafies to interfere with your warfarin. I believe in one of my biochem books there was a case study on two women who were up to 1kg of broccoli per day by the time it interfered with their warfarin...so, 2.2 lbs of broccoli. Ew. :sick:
  • studentRN
    studentRN Posts: 440 Member
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    Easy to see the confusion.

    Potassium is the letter K on the table of elements :wink:
  • ErinRNinMaine
    ErinRNinMaine Posts: 460 Member
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    You'd also have to eat a boatload of dark leafies to interfere with your warfarin. I believe in one of my biochem books there was a case study on two women who were up to 1kg of broccoli per day by the time it interfered with their warfarin...so, 2.2 lbs of broccoli. Ew. :sick:

    This is absolutely not true. I worked for 3 years as a cardiac nurse, where we had many a patient on Coumadin. Daily dietary consistancy is the key. That is why patients had their INR (clotting levels) checked daily while trying to get their levels to therapeutic levels, then every few days after that. Most people go once weekly when at home because levels have the potential to flucuate so--then they might go as infrequently as once per month. Case studies are great for teaching norms but sometimes they also portray abnormal or unusual situations. I'm sure there are those patients who are resistant to Coumadin who CAN eat large amounts of Vit K-rich foods.
  • Wynnie
    Wynnie Posts: 225 Member
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    You'd also have to eat a boatload of dark leafies to interfere with your warfarin. I believe in one of my biochem books there was a case study on two women who were up to 1kg of broccoli per day by the time it interfered with their warfarin...so, 2.2 lbs of broccoli. Ew. :sick:

    MMmmmm,,, broccoli. Seriously - I am totally missing spinach and broccoli now that it's "not allowed"!

    Artnoren, if you happen to check back in on this thread - just curious - my level right now is 6mg daily and I'm trying to completely avoid all the biggies like spinach or seaweed. Is your prescribed level out of this world?

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