Potassium Supplements?

monicalosesweight
monicalosesweight Posts: 1,173 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Ok. I'm finding this funny. I'm looking up potassium supplements and I'm finding stuff like this:

http://www.amazon.com/Potassium-Iodide-DOOMSDAY-CAPSULES-Supplement/dp/B009IX2EEA/ref=sr_1_85?ie=UTF8&qid=1361221855&sr=8-85&keywords=potassium+supplement

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I suspect there has to be something a little less terrifying?

Monica
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Replies

  • monicalosesweight
    monicalosesweight Posts: 1,173 Member
    Hmm. I guess no one has any suggestions? I really am looking for a good potassium supplement. I just found it amusing to find this on the market.

    Monica
  • WBB55
    WBB55 Posts: 4,131 Member
    Did a doctor recommend potassium SUPPLEMENTS? Don't take a supplement for potassium if a doctor/nutritionist didn't prescribe it.

    If you're getting some muscle cramps/twitching after workouts, and someone you know mentioned low potassium being a potential cause, really, just eat a banana or another snack with a couple hundred mgs.
  • TimeForMe99
    TimeForMe99 Posts: 309
    Any drugstore will have Nature Made or store brand potassium, as potassium gluconate, and it is in most multi vitamin-mineral pills. Potassium iodide is used to deliver iodine for thyroid disorders or to counteract the results of radiation. I suppose this product is for the latter.

    Be careful with potassium supplementation. Too much can cause low blood pressure and general weakness, along with other more severe problems. I would check with your doctor first.
  • BarackMeLikeAHurricane
    BarackMeLikeAHurricane Posts: 3,400 Member
    Things like "low sodium salt" are cut with potassium. You could try that.
  • JUDDDing
    JUDDDing Posts: 1,367 Member
    That's potassium iodide. It's an iodine supplement. It is used to fill your body full of iodine in the case of a radiation leak/nuclear war.

    You want just normal potassium. I think it's called "Potassium Gluconate" usually.
  • sunnyside1213
    sunnyside1213 Posts: 1,205 Member
    Things like "low sodium salt" are cut with potassium. You could try that.

    This. I use Mortons Lite Salt.
  • monicalosesweight
    monicalosesweight Posts: 1,173 Member
    http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/minerals/potassium/

    Ironically, they are now saying that you should get 4300 mg of Potassium in your diet to avoid cramps and to help if your exercising. Seriously, the chances of me even meeting the USDA requirement is null unless I drink like 3 liters of V8 juice. I haven't even found a supplement that would get me to the minimum requirement.

    P.S. Thanks for the clarification on the type of Potassium. I'll narrow my search down that way. I'm trying to find a good one for when I hike this summer because you tend to burn through it easily.
  • Kelly_Runs_NC
    Kelly_Runs_NC Posts: 474 Member
    Try higher potassium foods instead.

    Avacados
    Bananas
    potatoes
    dates
    oranges
    watermelon
    chicken
    yogurt
    almonds
  • WBB55
    WBB55 Posts: 4,131 Member
    I didn't mean to say not to add more potassium. I just meant to not take non-FDA regulated store supplements for it unless a doctor/nutritionist has tested your blood and you show a potassium deficiency and tells you which to take. Electrolyte imbalances in either direction is very dangerous. The amount of potassium you need to prevent cramps depends on your sodium and water intake as well as kidney function. I'd find it hard to recommend an intake level without considering the other important elements.

    That was all I meant. I should have explained myself better.
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    A couple different companies make Salt-Substitutes that you can use for potassium supplements pretty safely- Morton's "salt substitute" and French's "No salt" are sold in the spice aisle and have ~650 mg per 1/4 tsp. Don't take pill-form potassium supplements unless you're specifically advised to by a doctor- potassium and cardiac function are closely tied and over-supplementing can be seriously dangerous/
  • _noob_
    _noob_ Posts: 3,306 Member
    Beans, fruits, vegetables, lean meats, dairy, basically any food but straight fats will have potassium. Grains tend to be a poor source though.

    You take in more K than you think most likely.
  • acogg
    acogg Posts: 1,870 Member
    I agree that you take in more than you think. I noticed that your beef and coffee entries don't include potassium, yet both contain it. Try to look for MFP food entries that include potassium.
  • magerum
    magerum Posts: 12,589 Member
    Spinach.
  • carrieous
    carrieous Posts: 1,024 Member
    idk but id like to know. I can never get my potassium needs met and i have tried potatoes and spinanch and kale and bananas and lima beans and every other thing ive ever heard is supposed to be "loaded" with potassium- still failing
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    idk but id like to know. I can never get my potassium needs met and i have tried potatoes and spinanch and kale and bananas and lima beans and every other thing ive ever heard is supposed to be "loaded" with potassium- still failing

    The problem is most likely that you're just choosing the wrong diary entries- use the MFP *official* entries- those with no asterisk- like "Spinach - Raw", and they will have potassium info. Potassium is not required on nutritional labels, so it's not listed in most food entries. That doesn't mean it's not there. You probably are getting a lot if you're eating those foods.
  • monicalosesweight
    monicalosesweight Posts: 1,173 Member
    I noticed the same thing...it seems like there are a lot of entries actually missing the potassium amount. I'd originally picked the wrong Red Bell Peppers and even picked ones with no carbs. That's why I figure most of the entries have a few errors here and there.

    Monica

    P.S. Potassium in coffee...I did see that posted. I'll have to find out the actual amount.
  • 3laine75
    3laine75 Posts: 3,069 Member
    Google vitamin K but be careful - too much isn't good for you.


    'Slow K' seemed an okay one to me when I took it.
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    I noticed the same thing...it seems like there are a lot of entries actually missing the potassium amount. I'd originally picked the wrong Red Bell Peppers and even picked ones with no carbs. That's why I figure most of the entries have a few errors here and there.

    Monica

    P.S. Potassium in coffee...I did see that posted. I'll have to find out the actual amount.

    I log it every day- from my log, using the MFP official entry- "Coffee - Brewed from grounds, 32 fl oz" has 464 mg potassium.
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    Google vitamin K but be careful - too much isn't good for you.


    'Slow K' seemed an okay one to me when I took it.

    Vitamin K =/= potassium
    K is the periodic chart symbol for potassium, but vitamin K is a totally different substance, known as Phylloquinone.
  • eyeshuh
    eyeshuh Posts: 333
    I learned this semi-recently: Do NOT think that you aren't getting enough Potassium based on nutrition labels or MyFitnessPal entries if you live in the United States. The FDA does not require Potassium to be tracked on nutrition labels, so you are very likely getting a crap ton of it and you just think you aren't because it isn't listed.

    Do not take a supplement of any kind unless you have spoken to a doctor, as a doctor will very likely tell you the above.

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