OT Potassium

[HoseCrusher]

My wife donated blood and had extreme dizziness afterward. This prompted us to review our electrolytes. The only one in question is potassium.

The recommended daily allowance is 4.7 grams. I weighed the food that makes up a typical day of meals and was totally surprised to find we are coming in at around 2.7 grams. My wife pays attention to her blood glucose levels so we don't eat a lot of starches.

Magnesium and calcium tend to work hand in hand inside the body. The same seems to be the case for potassium and sodium.

She recovered quickly after a glass of salt water and eating an avocado.

If your kidneys aren't working well you tend to build up potassium but is the daily recommendation accurate or inflated?

[sila]

In my opinion, and I’m not a health care professional, the 4.7 gram recommendation for K+ is inflated. Even when eating a clean diet including avocado, banana, coconut, tomato, squash, etc., it’s difficult to reach the RDA. Unless clinically diagnosed with potassium deficiency and told how much supplemental K + to take in pill form, supplementation carries risks. My opinion is based on personal experience.

[Julie]

Of what?

Everything is risky if not taken properly, and potassium can be a problem, but you should do your own research and talk to a pharmacist (after your MD does routine labs) and just use common sense.

[SDBud]

My wife donated blood and had extreme dizziness afterward. This prompted us to review our electrolytes. The only one in question is potassium.

The recommended daily allowance is 4.7 grams. I weighed the food that makes up a typical day of meals and was totally surprised to find we are coming in at around 2.7 grams. My wife pays attention to her blood glucose levels so we don't eat a lot of starches.

Magnesium and calcium tend to work hand in hand inside the body. The same seems to be the case for potassium and sodium.

She recovered quickly after a glass of salt water and eating an avocado.

If your kidneys aren't working well you tend to build up potassium but is the daily recommendation accurate or inflated?

You SHOULD know pretty quickly if your potassium is low, and it WILL fuck up your heart if that goes on too long.

I start with bad back pain, then abdominal and stuffy nose (PLUS fuzzy brain, and heart stuff) if mine gets low,
and it does happen if I'm not careful because I'm on a serious diuretic for my heart problems.

[HoseCrusher]

It looks like I was looking at 2005 recommendations for the 4.7 gram figure.

https://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dg ... apter8.htm

In 2019 the review was unable to come up with an estimated average requirement and they decided to give what they call an adequate intake of 3.4 grams for males and 2.6 grams for females.

Note that these don't apply to individuals with medical conditions or taking medicines that can alter the bodies ability to process potassium.

Interesting... a drop of about 35% seems like a big step.

https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Potas ... fessional/

[palerider]

You SHOULD know pretty quickly if your potassium is low, and it WILL fuck up your heart if that goes on too long.

Too low, or too high, either way can be fatal. I collapsed a few years ago because my potassium was too *high*, and that causes muscles to quit working...

[SDBud]

You SHOULD know pretty quickly if your potassium is low, and it WILL fuck up your heart if that goes on too long.

Too low, or too high, either way can be fatal. I collapsed a few years ago because my potassium was too *high*, and that causes muscles to quit working...

Yep, like most things, too little OR too is bad.

[Muse-Inc]

Years ago, doc put me on a diuretic and did not warn me there might be side effects. Few hours after first pill, I was too weak to hold my head up, I leaned it on my hand. Managed to call doc and ask WTF was going on. He asked me how often I'd peed since taking that pill, then said likely low potassium and suggested dried apricots, bananas, potatoes, oranges, and cut pill in half -- yeah, right, fatso me needed those carbs like another hole in my head. I discovered low-sodium V8 which has about 700 mgm in a small can. Few days solved that weakness problem. I still drink a can a day. I also monitor my potassium level.

[Midwest_non_sleeper]

Another anecdotal story.

I've been sent to the emergency room twice, once for feeling downright bad, heart palpitations, confusion, heavy and labored breathing, etc. Turns out, wasn't a heart attack, but my potassium was low, under 2.0. The next time, I almost passed out while in a meeting with the school about my son (He has Asperger's). Same deal, heart racing, flushing, perspiring, confusion, breathing issues, etc. My vision started "closing in" on me with black on the edges. Was freaky. Also not a heart attack, but my potassium was again low.

Turns out, 15 years of working the worst crimes against children cases and performing the in depth computer forensics for those cases...burned a hole in my soul and the tension and stress had to come out. It just chose when and where. I've since been diagnosed with secondary PTSD and therapy, etc.

Anyway, I don't know what that has to do with what I was originally going to say, probably nothing, but yeah, potassium is important for regulation of muscle function. Keep an eye on it.

[OlRedHair]

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[Grace~~~]

It would be great to drive the cost of lab tests and results as low as possible.*

So low that a consumer (patient) could compare results for themselves. Or even home testing equipment that could provide accurate and trusted blood lab results.

~~~ armed with the information from these easily accessible and hopefully accurate test results, they could submit their question (problem) to doctors / problem solvers.

I wonder how that kind of information freedom would effect the cost of health care?


I don't want to insult or devalue lab '"business culture" I think they'd actually get a boost. I just cannot stand this ridiculous song and dance of waste in the health care system.

POWER TO THE PATIENTS!!!!!


NOTE:
* labs would just get much more volume and would probably even offer coupons, free results on your birthday ... and maybe even wheat grass shots?

... and in the back of the building sperm banking and *vasectatoos* would get upfront 'arte' money from the tattoo and monthly maintenance fees for keeping men's sperm safe and available for when HE CHOOSES to become a father.

*vasectatoos* = vasectomy w/ proof tattoo / chip / stud>
...though some would probably forego tattoo and go stealth ~~~

I really think this is a profitable franchise worthy business for today's market. Folks want to monitor their own health and potassium and apnea and such and should be given access to the best tools with which to do so.

How cheap CAN a blood test be?
... or an X-pap?

[Goofproof]

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Who, What, When,and Where, and last Why? Jim

[OlRedHair]

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Who, What, When,and Where, and last Why? Jim

I’m interested in learning more about hypokalemia.
I wasn’t sure how to set up topic notifications on Tapatalk.


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[Goofproof]

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Who, What, When,and Where, and last Why? Jim

I’m interested in learning more about hypokalemia.
I wasn’t sure how to set up topic notifications on Tapatalk.


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Your Doctor, and maybe Google would be good sources, if you can separate the misleading sales sites, but reading up on it will give some good ideas. Jim

[OlRedHair]

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Who, What, When,and Where, and last Why? Jim

I’m interested in learning more about hypokalemia.
I wasn’t sure how to set up topic notifications on Tapatalk.


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Your Doctor, and maybe Google would be good sources, if you can separate the misleading sales sites, but reading up on it will give some good ideas. Jim

I have been reading up on it, for years actually, since I suffered from it. So I’m always interested to hear other peoples experiences.


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