Low Carb Diets and Potassium
by Tanya Zilberter,
PhD
If you are a low carb dieter, you most
likely were advised to take
potassium supplements. This could happen for one or both of these
reasons:
1)you are, or want to be in, ketosis (an
acidic condition associated
with excessive amounts of ketones in the blood) and ketosis is shown to
cause potassium deficit; and/or
2) you are dehydrated and dehydration is
know to be accompanied with
potassium loss.
There are other factors that can influence
your potassium need.
You may be experiencing one of these:
- adaptation to ketosis, which can lead to
potassium conservation by the body. Studies have shown that after five
weeks on a very low-carb diet (20g carbs a day) with adequate water
intake, potassium concentration in the blood was normal.
- decrease in food intake (due to decreased
appetite),which can
return potassium concentration in the blood back to normal. Clinical
observation is that potassium concentration increases proportional with
the increase
of the energy deficit when calories burnt exceed calories eaten.
There is no RDA for Potassium.
Over-the-counter potassium supplements
usually contain 99 milligrams per tablet. The average American diet
provides two to six grams of potassium per day, so you see how little
you can get actually get with these supplements. If you doctor advised
you on prescription-strength potassium formula, then by all means,
follow his or her recommendation.
If you have plenty of these foods and
plenty of water, you're
postassium intake is probably fine:
- Fish, especially salmon, cod, flounder
and sardines
- Meats
- Vegetables, particularly broccoli,
tomatoes, potato skins, spinach, lettuce and parsley
- Fruits (you can have lemons, half of a
tart green apple, or a
quarter of a grapefruit on a low-carb diet)
Watch for These Signs of Potassium
Deficit!
The most common symptom of potassium
deficit is fatigue; initial
symptoms of potassium deficiency include slow reaction, muscle weakness
and
dry skin.
Be especially attentive to the signs of
potassium deficit if
you are diabetic, pregnant or suffer from alcoholism.
Sources
American Family Physician,
60(5):1468-76, 1999
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Clinics of N. America, 22(2):209-19, 1993
Deutsche Tierarztliche Wochenschrif,
104(9):359-65, 1997
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