Electrolytes and weight loss


#1

Wondering if an electrolyte balance can inhibit weight loss. I don’t show signs of one, just curious


(Jay AM) #2

An electrolyte imbalance can do a lot of things. Like cause water retention which would stall weight loss based on a standard scale. I’m sure it can cause stalled everything.


(TJ Borden) #3

I’m still learning the science, but yes. It appears balance can affect a lot, and there have been recent topics specifically about the importance of potassium.


#4

Also please know the importance of not too much potassium! After getting heart palpitations on a relatively small amount of potassium and then looking up the dangers of having too much, I now put in a warning whenever I see a note about taking it.

When supplementing with potassium, please do your research first and go slowly!


(TJ Borden) #5

I’ve seen those posts as well. I’ve been trying to figure out what the safe range is. On one side Dr Berg says you need 4700mg, but I’m wondering what the high end that starts to cause problems is.

Plus, without veggies (I’m mostly carnivore now), I know I’m getting very little. I have a canister of lite salt, but I don’t use it because of @Brenda’s warnings about taking too much. @atomicspacebunny posted some links and info talking about the importance of potassium and the role it plays, but I’m still trying to absorb the info. Most of it is over my head, but that doesn’t take much to do.


#6

I’m sure it’s quite individual but I think that as long as you’re aware of the symptoms of taking too much (for me it was heart palpitations, though there are probably other warning signs) and err on the side of smaller doses, you’re probably good.

One note about going without veggies: it’s quite possible that part of our need for potassium (or other minerals/vitamins) is largely dependent on what our systems need for handling different foods - so maybe on a ZC diet, your need for some nutrients is actually much lower than on a LC or HC diet. I’m not sure how this plays out with potassium and carnivory in particular, but it’s certainly true with SAD (i.e. you need a whole lot more of certain nutrients if your systems is dealing with soda, fast food, hydrogenated oils, etc.).


(TJ Borden) #7

That’s exactly what I’ve been trying to find out. I remember Phinney talking about how vitamin c wasn’t as critical, or at least not needed in large quantities without carbs, but it wasn’t until @amber was on the Keto Woman podcast with @Daisy that it occurred to me that the same would likely be true for many other micronutrients.

I’m just not sure that we’ll have much in the way of science about it beyond n=1 experiments for a while. Hopefully when @richard finishes his biochemistry studies he can figure all this stuff out for us :smile:


(Jay AM) #8

Of note, meat contains potassium. So does butter in a tiny quantity. You may be getting more than you think. So many labels don’t even put potassium when the food has it.

I’m still struggling with my n=1 on potassium. If I take it in ketoade, my feet and ankles swell. If I don’t, they cramp. It’s been sodium independent too. Electrolytes are fickle but important.


#9

How does one know if they are getting enough potassium? Also, I’ve been salting foods, but do I need to be doing more in terms of sodium intake? Thx!


(Bunny) #10

My opinion:

When you take man made derivatives (processed in some way) of the same type of supplemental compounds that occur in nature; they are absorbed differently in a varying different chain reactive matrix, then you get strange and varying physiologic reactions like heart palps etc…

Here is the difference: getting it from an organic natural source verses supplementing with a man made substance or compound which I am stickler about. I think in micron particulate size when it comes to this, because it cannot penetrate the cells if it is as big as the Empire State Building compared to a golf ball; so when that happens it simply gets flushed from the body and does other strange stuff in the process!

Even natural Sea Salt or Table Salt (trace minerals and elements that are in it) is not small enough to penetrate the cells correctly, it must be absorbed from the soil and into the plants or organ meats/livestock from chlorophyll rich sources (rare trace elements, minerals etc.); then we are making contact with Huston from the space shuttle.

If you watch the way livestock eat forage they know and sense chlorophyll rich forage and know what forage not to eat! (they are talking to us?)

I take supplements but I am very careful about not taking too much of anything and what I am taking it for and wonder if it is even being absorbed correctly?


(CJ Young) #11

Honestly it’s worth going to your doctor and getting levels for absolutely EVERYTHING. It helped me figure out the right ratio of supplements. I was way low on potassium and my magnesium was very wiped out. I was having a lot of cramping in my lets so I should have figured but getting the test done and taking her advice on quantity made me fee very safe and sure about how much I should be having. Plus I got insurance to cover most of the cost of my supplements by going through the doctor.


(Ken ) #12

I believe so, particularly potassium.

For the last 2 months I’ve been on strict keto and continued to gain weight despite correct caloric intake and macros. Barely went to the bathroom. It was like my body was holding on to everything. I increased water intake, fiber intake, cut sugar alcohols, etc and nothing worked.

I decided to take my blood pressure and it was 150/90. I also decided to take a Lisinopril pill that my doc prescribed last year because my BP was borderline high at my last check up.

Within an hour of taking the pill, I urinated about 7 times and dropped several pounds. It was remarkable.

It turns out that Lisinopril increases potassium levels in the blood, and this must have caused the whoosh to finally happen. My guess is that I was potassium deficient for a while, and my kidneys refused to let go of the weight until my potassium levels reach the right level.

Electrolytes are critical.