potassium

deralbert
deralbert Posts: 3
in Health and Weight Loss
how bad is it if one doesn't get enough potassium? for the life of me, i find it impossibly difficult to get my daily requirement of potassium.

i know i can take supplements, but what is the consequence of deficiency, and how muted is it if i can get 50% there on average days?

Replies

  • stines72
    stines72 Posts: 853 Member
    at 50% i was having pretty severe muscle cramps in the middle of the night.. they would wake me up. if you are not an athlete (or if you dont do a ton of running or cardio every day) however these symptoms might not be as pronounced. i also find it difficult to get the recommended amount too so i take supplements
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    Potassium supplements are dangerous. You may be getting more potassium than you realize- since it is not a requirement on nutritional labels, it's often excluded. That doesn't mean that there is no potassium, just that it's not listed. If you use whole foods, try the MFP 'official' entries in the database- the ones with no preceding asterisk.

    Many whole foods are rich in potassium- fruits, vegetables, milk, eggs, beans, coffee, tea...lots of things. Potassium is very important in regulating your electrolyte balance. If you find you can't get enough from food- try a "lite salt" or "no salt" substitute- they are potassium salts. But be very wary of taking a supplement- electrolyte balance is critical in muscle contraction, and since your heart is a muscle, too much potassium can mess with your heart. Very dangerous without the supervision of a doctor.
  • tobnrn
    tobnrn Posts: 477 Member
    Potassium supplements are dangerous. You may be getting more potassium than you realize- since it is not a requirement on nutritional labels, it's often excluded. That doesn't mean that there is no potassium, just that it's not listed. If you use whole foods, try the MFP 'official' entries in the database- the ones with no preceding asterisk.

    Many whole foods are rich in potassium- fruits, vegetables, milk, eggs, beans, coffee, tea...lots of things. Potassium is very important in regulating your electrolyte balance. If you find you can't get enough from food- try a "lite salt" or "no salt" substitute- they are potassium salts. But be very wary of taking a supplement- electrolyte balance is critical in muscle contraction, and since your heart is a muscle, too much potassium can mess with your heart. Very dangerous without the supervision of a doctor.

    QFT...Potassium supplements are extremely dangerous without a doctor following blood potassium levels. Your probably getting more than you think. If your concerned have your doctor run some routine blood work.

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