Potassium question

Zenberry2015
Zenberry2015 Posts: 10 Member
edited November 29 in Food and Nutrition
I just started tracking about a week ago and am doing pretty well at hitting calorie and nutrient targets. However I did notice that I never hit my target for potassium. Every day this past week it was low - not even close to the recommendation. I feel ok without it - I don't have any of the symptoms of a low potassium level that I found on Dr. Google...

Should I really be worried about this? Has anyone else who had a low potassium level found good foods to eat for this?

Replies

  • OMP33
    OMP33 Posts: 308 Member
    Eat a couple bananas, tons of potassium in them.
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    If you are concerned, ask your doctor to run lab work to check your potassium levels. Potassium is not required on nutritional labels and is therefore missing for many entries in the database. You are likely getting more than what is showing on your diary entries.

    In summary, unless lab work confirms hypokalemia, I wouldn't worry about it.
  • Q_Is_Poison
    Q_Is_Poison Posts: 203 Member
    Get a blood test and have your doctor test your potassium levels. If you are low you can supplement with Potassium supplements or a multi-vitamin for women with Potassium. It is almost impossible to get enough Potassium from food if you are on a calorically restricted diet.
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    OMP33 wrote: »
    Eat a couple bananas, tons of potassium in them.

    There are plenty of other foods which contain more potassium. I like bananas, but they pack a calorie punch when someone is trying to lose. I still fit them in occasionally, but there are many other options which (for me) work into my goals better.
  • OMP33
    OMP33 Posts: 308 Member
    nutmegoreo wrote: »
    OMP33 wrote: »
    Eat a couple bananas, tons of potassium in them.

    There are plenty of other foods which contain more potassium. I like bananas, but they pack a calorie punch when someone is trying to lose. I still fit them in occasionally, but there are many other options which (for me) work into my goals better.

    Bananas are calorically dense? That's a first I've heard of that.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    nutmegoreo wrote: »
    If you are concerned, ask your doctor to run lab work to check your potassium levels. Potassium is not required on nutritional labels and is therefore missing for many entries in the database. You are likely getting more than what is showing on your diary entries.

    In summary, unless lab work confirms hypokalemia, I wouldn't worry about it.

    The bold above is most likely why OP is not hitting her potassium levels. Very few nutritional labels show it and very few entries in the database have it. You're probably getting much more than your food log is showing.
  • Zenberry2015
    Zenberry2015 Posts: 10 Member
    I see what you are saying about the banana, but they have about 400mg each. Two would give me about 800 mg more. I have been about 2000 mg short each day. So even two extra bananas on top of what I already eat wouldn't put me all that close to the rec daily value.

    It would make sense if some of the dietary potassium wasn't in the data base so wasn't counted. It's the only nutrient that I am really low on and it doesn't make sense otherwise.
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    OMP33 wrote: »
    nutmegoreo wrote: »
    OMP33 wrote: »
    Eat a couple bananas, tons of potassium in them.

    There are plenty of other foods which contain more potassium. I like bananas, but they pack a calorie punch when someone is trying to lose. I still fit them in occasionally, but there are many other options which (for me) work into my goals better.

    Bananas are calorically dense? That's a first I've heard of that.

    Looking strictly at potassium versus calories, broccoli or potato are a better option. Depending on the OPs daily calorie goals, it could be difficult for her to eat a couple bananas each day, feel full, and still meet her nutritional requirements. It is an individual choice.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    Zenberry2015 wrote: »
    I see what you are saying about the banana, but they have about 400mg each. Two would give me about 800 mg more. I have been about 2000 mg short each day. So even two extra bananas on top of what I already eat wouldn't put me all that close to the rec daily value.

    It would make sense if some of the dietary potassium wasn't in the data base so wasn't counted. It's the only nutrient that I am really low on and it doesn't make sense otherwise.

    Look at your entries and see how many of them have a zero or no value in the potassium entry. I'd be willing to bet it's the vast majority of them.
  • Zenberry2015
    Zenberry2015 Posts: 10 Member
    Thanks everyone- I feel much more at ease about why the levels might be showing up as low even if they aren't. I might have my doctor check my blood level at my next checkup, but until then I won't worry about it so much.
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    Zenberry2015 wrote: »
    Thanks everyone- I feel much more at ease about why the levels might be showing up as low even if they aren't. I might have my doctor check my blood level at my next checkup, but until then I won't worry about it so much.

    Good plan. This comes up a lot, so you are certainly not the only one surprised by it! :smile:
  • Zenberry2015
    Zenberry2015 Posts: 10 Member
    edited February 2016
    Look at your entries and see how many of them have a zero or no value in the potassium entry. I'd be willing to bet it's the vast majority of them.


    Yep- this was true! Thanks!
  • Yi5hedr3
    Yi5hedr3 Posts: 2,696 Member
    The target is way too high. Shoot for less.
  • bellabonbons
    bellabonbons Posts: 705 Member
    Same thing happens to me. Logging shows I am way under RDA for potassium so I had blood work last week and it shows my potassium at normal level. Not sure why nutrition chart is so off in MFP. Now I never rely upon it.
  • cbelc2
    cbelc2 Posts: 762 Member
    Try increasing your overall vegetable and fruit intake. It's not just about potassium. There are thousands of nutrients in whole foods that you won't get from a pill.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    edited February 2016
    Eggs, milk, fish and meat are also good potassium sources. Double whammy - you get your protein and potassium at the same time!
  • kgeyser
    kgeyser Posts: 22,505 Member
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  • leosmith66
    leosmith66 Posts: 69 Member
    I just ran into this same issue. In my case it might be a little more serious because I'm a ketogenic T2 diabetic who suffers from leg cramps. Leg cramps are usually caused by a lack of magnesium, and people in ketosis often have a hard time retaining magnesium and potassium. So the most popular solution, in our case, is to eat 1-2 cubes of bouillon per day, which adds enough sodium (1-2g) to retain the magnesium. On top of that, many of us supplement magnesium just to be sure. Those leg cramps in the middle of the night can be horrific!

    So what does this have to do with potassium? Even before I became ketogenic I would occasionally get leg cramps. When I did, I would take a single potassium capsule, only 99mg, and the cramp would go away instantly. The single capsule doesn't do anything when I'm in ketosis. But feeling that potassium has a roll in this leg cramp thing, seeing that I'm only getting about 2/3 of the RDA, and understanding that it would be very difficult to bring myself up to 100% by eating real foods with my restrictive diet, I've decided to supplement.

    Unfortunately, the RDA for potassium is 4700mg. Those 99mg capsules are a joke. So I've resorted to pouring 1/4 tsp Nu-Salt in with my daily bouillon broth. I also add seaweed for iodine, but that's another story.
  • thatthingyoudoula
    thatthingyoudoula Posts: 30 Member
    Tomato soup and baby russet potatoes. Banana too. But, potatoes are the best source (the skin). That's what I'm eating to hit my target. I don't recommend supplements.

  • feisty_bucket
    feisty_bucket Posts: 1,047 Member
    leosmith66 wrote: »
    Those 99mg capsules are a joke. So I've resorted to pouring 1/4 tsp Nu-Salt in with my daily bouillon broth

    Yes, yes. Ding ding, winner. Nu Salt is the real potassium supplement.
  • leosmith66
    leosmith66 Posts: 69 Member
    100 kcal russet potatoes, 3.7oz, will give you 570mg of potassium (12% RDA) and 20g net carbs
    100 kcal tomato soup, 3/4 cup, will give you 440mg of potassium (9% RDA) and 8.3g net carbs
    100 kcal banana, 4oz, will give you 400mg potassium (9% RDA) and 23g net carbs

    If you can live with the carbs and the calories, these are all good choices. But for me personally, none of them will work, because I can only eat 50g net carbs/day, and replaced my other carbs with these carbs there would be more critical deficiencies than I have now.

    100 kcal chard, 1.1 lb, will give you 2740mg of potassium (58%) and 10g net carbs

    I already eat a lot of chard, but this quantity is ridiculous. Nevertheless, if you don't mind eating a huge volume like this, here's another way you can get there without supplementation.
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