Electrolytes: How long ...forever?

(Jane- Old Inky Crone) #21

One thing I was cautioned about, be very careful with the potassium supplements. Some people don’t need it at all, and it is dangerous to get too much. I completely quit using it and my last blood test showed my potassium to be normal. Magnesium and enough sodium are key to relieving leg cramp problems. I use this product from Amazon, it is very bio available and works great to keep my leg cramps at bay. My doctor even recommends it (I’ve used it for several years before I found my doc). I do love salt and tend to get plenty, so YMMV.

#22

There was an interesting question about this on a recent Robb Wolf podcast. I think he’s been watching the KetoGains leaders and finding that they are very on top of their salt - long term - and it makes all the difference to ongoing success on keto. He guessed that ancestral eating patterns would have naturally included more sodium.

(less is more, more or less) #23

I have been low-carb for 2+ years. When I was starting, several months in, I was drinking a cup or two of beef or chicken broth a day (NOT low-sodium, always check ingredients) Now, like @PetaMarie I salt my meals. I might add up to a tablespoon over a day to my meals. Sodium helps with the rest of the electrolytes.

The good news is this need not be complicated.

(hottie turned hag) #24

Yep me too. I am frugal af. Never taken any fancy “keto products/supplements”. Totally unnecessary. Don’t fall for the hype.

(Wendy) #25

I also think that if you need salt you will want that salty taste. Some days I add much more salt to my foods than others. But when I was feeling light headed I did find I improved by consciously adding salt to my fasting time. I used corse pink salt that I would take a pinch of and follow with a drink if water.

(Katie Moe) #26

I think electrolytes are the thing I have struggled the most with. I go in and out of leg cramps and when I began keto, not having properly read enough information, was totally dizzy to the point of nausea. Now I down 1/4 tsp of sodium, 1/4 tsp no salt (potassium) twice a day, and take a magnesium pill and calcium pill daily. I try to salt my food but always see in my tracker how low these levels are at the end of the day. So I focus more on my symptoms but it does mean that leg cramps do come back once in awhile. I just don’t have the confidence I’ve nailed this electrolyte thing and I do want to get it to where it is more in the flow of things rather something I am always mindful about and tweaking. I am amazed, but I guess not surprised, in everyone’s replies how different all our bodies’ needs are.

(Susan) #27

I tried to drink some Himalyan salt in water last night and it was so disgusting, I had to dump it out…I really don’t like the taste of salt… =( I never add it to food, not even before Keto…so not sure what I should do…

(Michael - When reality fails to meet expectations, the problem is not reality.) #28

Have you experienced any symptoms that might be attributed to lack of electrolytes and/or other minerals? If not, maybe you’re just fine. Don’t worry about it.

(Susan) #29

I don’t think so, Michael, I only wondered and started worrying about it yesterday when I noticed almost everyone on here seems to be talking about sodium/salt/pickle juice a lot, and wondered if I was missing out not getting it. I even wondered if buying Pickle Juice was a Keto thing (like just the juice without pickles since everyone seems to be drinking it).

Since I began Keto I have only been taking ACV capsules daily (after trying to drink it and failing at that as it was burning my throat, etc). I do have Omega 3 capsules here but I only take them on Friday’s (when I have to go grocery shopping) to help the pain of walking, (trusting that when I lose another 120+ pounds my knees won’t feel like they are going to dislocate everytime I have to do a bunch of walking).

(Natasha) #30

:laughing: You could buy a capsule machine and make salt tablets…

(Susan) #31

My husband is still furious at me for buying a Blood Pressure monitor that was from Costco and that I don’t need to use now as my blood pressure is very normal now since Keto, and Costco won’t refund me and so he is really mad, not a subject we discuss… haha

(Jennibc) #32

Interesting this shows up today. I missed two days and last night awoke with horrible charlie horses at 3 AM. Got out of bed to walk it off and it was so bad my leg gave out and down I went on top of the night stand. I have horrible abrasions on the left side of my back and the top of my cherry night stand is badly scratched as I hit the alarm clock on the way down. The good news is I have been doing this awhile so my weight didn’t break the night stand.

(Susan) #33

Ouchhhh Jennibc… I am so sorry that happened to you.

Hopefully you can figure out what to take so that won’t happen again.

(Full Metal KETO AF) #34

I don’t understand how you can do this without having a sodium deficiency.

(Susan) #35

I am not sure how to find out if I do, but I just don’t like the taste of salt at all. Even before Keto, this is not just since Keto, I have never added salt to things or chosen salty foods.

(Full Metal KETO AF) #36

OMG! :worried: That all I have to say on that subject. :cowboy_hat_face:

(Full Metal KETO AF) #37

@Momof5 Don’t you ever get blood work?

(Susan) #38

Yes, the last time was in February when my doctor said everything was normal, except my blood pressure was really high. I went to the emergency room at the hospital in January because I was fainting and had severe headaches, and was dizzy, off balance… my husband was worried, I had really bad vertigo, kept feeling like I was going to fall…but they did blood work then and said all that was normal, but that my blood pressure was really high.

It measured 220/140 and around those numbers, they kept me for hours, and it was around those amounts everytime they did it, standing, sitting, laying, etc. They told me to make an appointment with my doctor so I did… and he said the same and told me to buy a machine and then test myself twice a day and write it down for 2 weeks and if it was still high to go back to him (he also sent me for blood work that had come back normal too).

I shouldn’t have bothered buying the blood pressure machine (because it has caused fights with my hubby and me and I cannot return it) but that was basically when I decided I have to lose this weight and so I began internet searching for what diet to follow…

I came across Paleo first… then it didn’t really appeal to me, but thought Keto seemed neat… so I began reading about it and well dove right in!

For the blood pressure… after a few days of doing Keto, (even though I wasn’t doing it the really proper way yet) my blood pressure returned to normal! I kept monitoring for a few weeks but it was great, down to like 130/80 really quickly. I should get the machine out and check what it is now, since I am for sure full Keto and no cheating, doing things properly now… =)

I didn’t really do Keto properly at first but I did remove all sugars, do low carbs, and drank a lot of water. I was not eating enough proteans and eating too many veggies, I did lose weight though, and thought I was doing Keto! I was not in Ketosis but I was atleast going in the right direction, it took me a few weeks to tweak my meals and figure it all out, I was in full Ketosis and doing well with the lifestyle by the time I joined here a short time ago, but I have learned so much more since joining here!

(Jennibc) #39

I just need to be sure to take my electrolyte drink. I had cut back because I use a little lemon juice to make it palatable and I think that was hurting my teeth. I suppose I can make it concentrated, plug my nose, and just drink it in one gulp.

(Susan) #40

I just wish salt wasn’t so horrible for me, I guess I need to get some into me, that is why I wanted to know if there were tablets I can buy, I am better if I can just swallow a pill instead of drinking it, like my ACV tablets I take.