Potassium Deficiency

rosebette
rosebette Posts: 1,660 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I have a question about this. I'm seeing a few posts and information elsewhere that people can become very sick from a potassium deficiency, which can be caused by a low calorie diet. I'm netting around 1200 calories a day, and I use the Cronometer program to track my micronutrients. According to the cronometer, I am always low on potassium, even on days when I eat lots of fruits and vegetables. For example, Friday, which was one of my better days, I met only 58% of my potassium needs, and I ate whole wheat pasta with tomato sauce, an orange, salad with lots of tomatoes (I ate salad twice that day), strawberries, raisin bran for breakfast. All of these foods have some potassium, but apparently not enough. I take a multivitamin every day, but that has only 2% of my requirement for potassium. How much potassium does an adult woman need? How can I supplement to prevent being deficient? Also, what can happen from eating too little -- I have even read people can be hospitalized.

Replies

  • VeryKatie
    VeryKatie Posts: 5,961 Member
    Bananas, vitamins.
  • aeb09
    aeb09 Posts: 424 Member
    I make my own Gatorade from Crystal Light and potassium chloride powder because I was under the goal and getting horrible leg cramps. I also take a 500mg magnesium pill daily to prevent them as well. The brad of potassium chloride I use is Now and I buy it on Amazon.
  • Serah87
    Serah87 Posts: 5,481 Member
    Yep, it happen to me ended up in the ER and had to stay a whole day while they did the IV, but I wasn't on a diet it just happen. Low potassium can mess with your heart.

    OP I suggest you eat more and get that potassium higher.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I don't have a clue what a cronometer is, but I can tell you that potassium is not required on food labels...so often people think they're not getting enough when in fact, they're just fine.

    I'm very active so I try to make sure I'm around 4700 - 5000 MG per day. I drink a 12 oz low sodium V8 daily and drink coconut water in lieu of sports drinks like gatorade (coconut water is natures gatorade). Both are very high in potassium. I also eat a lot of veg and fruit as well as other high potassium foods like potatoes (skin on) and sweet potatoes.
  • ThePhoenixIsRising
    ThePhoenixIsRising Posts: 781 Member
    I was getting dizzy spells and heart palpitations from low blood volume caused by low magnesium and low potassium. I now supplement with vitamins.
  • annette_15
    annette_15 Posts: 1,657 Member
    Coconut water!
  • rosebette
    rosebette Posts: 1,660 Member
    A cronometer is an online program that tracks all the micronutrients in your food. I do eat a lot of fruits and vegetables already; that's why I'm concerned. I guess I should take a potassium supplement. I hate gatorade and those types of products. I think they taste awful. I'd rather just drink water. I used to drink a small glass of V8 with my breakfast; maybe I should start doing that again. I'd rather do that than eat bananas or potatoes, which are too high calorie and high carb.
  • jnord8729
    jnord8729 Posts: 234 Member
    You could substitute some salt with NoSalt or some other salt substitute. That's nothing but potassium chloride instead of sodium chloride. Just remember it has a metallic taste once it gets real hot so your food won't taste right if you COMPLETELY swap it out.
  • MrGonzo05
    MrGonzo05 Posts: 1,120 Member
    Get some of the "lite" salt. It is 50% potassium.
  • persistentsoul
    persistentsoul Posts: 268 Member
    I make my own Gatorade from Crystal Light and potassium chloride powder because I was under the goal and getting horrible leg cramps. I also take a 500mg magnesium pill daily to prevent them as well. The brad of potassium chloride I use is Now and I buy it on Amazon.

    I also take NOW magnesium supplement and NOW potassium chloride and got both from amazon. The potassium powder tastes nasty in whatever I add it to I have to say even though it is a very small amount. I may order some empty caps so can just swallow it that way.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    A cronometer is an online program that tracks all the micronutrients in your food. I do eat a lot of fruits and vegetables already; that's why I'm concerned. I guess I should take a potassium supplement. I hate gatorade and those types of products. I think they taste awful. I'd rather just drink water. I used to drink a small glass of V8 with my breakfast; maybe I should start doing that again. I'd rather do that than eat bananas or potatoes, which are too high calorie and high carb.

    You shouldn't take a potassium supplement unless you're truly deficient as per blood work. It is likely that the program you're using uses food labels to identify micronutrients...as I stated, potassium isn't required labeling so anything that relies on food labeling to also provide that information is going to be faulty. You're likely getting more potassium than you think...true deficiencies are rare and are often attributable to over training with a ****ty diet.

    Taking potassium supplements can blow the **** out of your kidneys and should only be done under doctors supervision.
  • serenahhhhh
    serenahhhhh Posts: 11
    eat bananas and take multivitamins! Also, up your cal intake. You should always eat above your bmr! I am obsessed with eating bananas and eat them with everything from granola and almond milk, to on whole wheat bread with peanut butter. They work great in smoothies and you can even make healthy ice cream from bananas!
  • Maryam2014mfp
    Maryam2014mfp Posts: 174
    "Yep, it happen to me ended up in the ER and had to stay a whole day while they did the IV, but I wasn't on a diet it just happen. Low potassium can mess with your heart.

    OP I suggest you eat more and get that potassium higher.
    Edited by Serah87 On August 31, 2014 6:12 PM"


    Totally agree with the poster. I'm not sure if you can take too much potassium, so it would be good to get it checked before taking supplements. If you are deficient, the doctor will probably give you a prescription. Bananas are a good natural source of potassium. Take care.
  • Camo_xxx
    Camo_xxx Posts: 1,082 Member
    A ironing to the mayo clinic if you think you are potassium deficient you should consult your doctor as to much potassium may be harmful.
  • itsbasschick
    itsbasschick Posts: 1,584 Member
    potatoes are a great source of potassium, with more than bananas or orange juice.

    but don't mess around with any potassium supplements without having blood work. i figured i was low based on what i ate, so i started using salt substitute, which is potassium chloride, in smallish amounts. i almost immediately started having heart palpitations, stopped using the salt substitute and they went away.
  • rosebette
    rosebette Posts: 1,660 Member
    The foods I enter are mostly fresh fruit and vegetables. Cereal and bread are the only things that I eat that are packaged. So, the program is figuring the potassium from whatever is in its database, mostly USDA. Today, it calculated 47%. I had lots of tomatoes, salad, and watermelon. Guess it's not the right stuff. Might have to start eating bananas and cut calories elsewhere.
  • Ulwaz
    Ulwaz Posts: 380 Member
    bananas and vitamins :)
  • astartig
    astartig Posts: 549 Member
    http://www.healthcommunities.com/electrolyte-imbalance/too-much-potassium-too-little-potassium_jhmwp.shtml
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    The foods I enter are mostly fresh fruit and vegetables. Cereal and bread are the only things that I eat that are packaged. So, the program is figuring the potassium from whatever is in its database, mostly USDA. Today, it calculated 47%. I had lots of tomatoes, salad, and watermelon. Guess it's not the right stuff. Might have to start eating bananas and cut calories elsewhere.

    If you're truly concerned here, go see a doctor...potassium deficiency is rare as hell...I think you're way over-thinking all of this and being completely paranoid, likely for not.
    I'm not sure if you can take too much potassium

    You most definitely can...and you end up blowing your kidneys up. Most people get plenty in their diet (and generally, dietary potassium isn't an issue...supplementation is)...all of this worry is bull ****. Someone who is truly deficient is 1) probably going to know it because their muscles are going to lock up like **** and 2) should have blood work done.
  • rosebette
    rosebette Posts: 1,660 Member
    I am having some bloodwork mid-September and a follow-up with my doctor for cholesterol. I think I will ask him then if I should start a supplement. I don't seem to be having any symptoms or anything. I was more concerned because I read about others who were dieting who ended up in hospital or very ill because of low potassium levels. As I said, I am netting at the 1200 threshold, but I am only 5'1.5", female, and 55. My TDEE is only 1350 sedentary, 1550 at active, so I don't really get enough of a deficit to see a loss at a higher level of calories; in fact, I have been plateau'd for 3 months, which leads me to believe that for me, 1200 is maintenance. The funny thing is -- there are lots of folks who never touch a fruit or vegetable and eat lots of sodium -- wouldn't they be dangerously deficient?
  • ThePhoenixIsRising
    ThePhoenixIsRising Posts: 781 Member
    I am having some bloodwork mid-September and a follow-up with my doctor for cholesterol. I think I will ask him then if I should start a supplement. I don't seem to be having any symptoms or anything. I was more concerned because I read about others who were dieting who ended up in hospital or very ill because of low potassium levels. As I said, I am netting at the 1200 threshold, but I am only 5'1.5", female, and 55. My TDEE is only 1350 sedentary, 1550 at active, so I don't really get enough of a deficit to see a loss at a higher level of calories; in fact, I have been plateau'd for 3 months, which leads me to believe that for me, 1200 is maintenance. The funny thing is -- there are lots of folks who never touch a fruit or vegetable and eat lots of sodium -- wouldn't they be dangerously deficient?
    3oz chicken =220mg
    4oz tuna =597mg
    4oz beef =387mg
    1 egg= 59mg
    1c Almond milk =150mg
    6oz orange juice =332mg
    1 med potato =925mg

    Breakfast
    4 eggs =236mg
    1c almond milk =150mg

    Lunch
    4oz tuna =597mg
    12oz orange juice =664mg

    Dinner
    8oz beef =774mg
    1 med potato =925

    3346mg of potassium with only one veggie to be seen.
  • rosebette
    rosebette Posts: 1,660 Member
    Wow, I was under the impression that fruits and vegetables had higher levels. I did eat a lobster eggs benedict today (day out with hubby) and home fries with the skins -- that did get me half my requirement. The calories were pretty high, but definitely worth it.
  • Joannah700
    Joannah700 Posts: 2,665 Member
    Vitamin Water's Revive drink has 880 mg of potassium and is about 130 calories.
  • dasher602014
    dasher602014 Posts: 1,992 Member
    Blood work is the answer to your concern. Too much potassium can be a big problem. Potassium is in a lot of natural food with sweet potato, regular potato and oranges being high, green too. It isn't required to be on labels. Hard to not get enough if you are eating a balanced diet. Ask your doctor.

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