Macros and Electrolytes

(Jim Kuder) #1

Itake a multivitamin that has 200mg magnesium and a separate 400mg dose of Magnesium. I take 60 MEQ twice daily for my hypokalemia. My recent labs show good levels for Calcium, Potassium, and Magnesium, but my sodium has been chronically low for years. I am really struggling with nightly leg cramps that wake me up. How can I make sure I am getting enough electrolyte supplementation daily? What is a simple and safe way to do that.

Also. I used the macro calculator on ruled.me.com and set the carbs at 20 and accepted all the defaults for deficit (.8). I am not having an issue with staying within calories and carbs. The fat is sometimes difficult but struggling to stay at or under daily protein levels and sometimes go over by 40-50g in a day? How bad is that for staying in Ketosis.

I am game to lose a few pounds but am only using Keto to treat my Narcolepsy symptoms. Since starting the Ketogenic diet, I have been able stay awake and completely stop all 4 stimulatn medications that would not keep me awake most of the time.

Any insight appreciated to relieve painful and debilitating leg cramps.

(Erin) #2

How is your water intake? Excessive protein intake can stall weight loss. Personally I drink ultima electrolyte powder with water and I mix ACV and aloe juice (lily of the desert). Also broths will help with sodium. Organic bone broth you can make your own or buy.

(Jim Kuder) #3

I drink at least 1 gallon of water a day. I also drink organic chicken bone broth a couple times a day. How often do you have to drink that supplement a day?

(Jim Kuder) #4

What is considered excessive protein

(Running from stupidity) #5

Hide under your desk, put your hands over your head.

INCOMING!

(Jim Kuder) #6

What? I am not following

(Doug) #7

Jim, why so much water?

For sodium, salt is easy to take in, eh?

(Jim Kuder) #8

I have drank that much forever and always was told to drink a lot of water. Is that bad?

(Erin) #9

I drink it all day long with my water. I only drink water or a zevia on occasion.

(Doug) #10

I don’t know, Jim. It can definitely affect electrolyte levels - I wondered if there is a demonstrable reason to drink so much.

(Running from stupidity) #11

Drink when thirsty seems to be the current recommendation. the whole “eight glasses a day” thing was debunked a long time ago.

One of the issues with drinking a LOT of water is that you can leach out some essential vitamins and minerals, which creates its own issues.

(Jim Kuder) #12

I have always just drank a lot of fluids in general and habit I guess. Body is used to having it. Will try restricting some and see how it goes.

(TJ Borden) #13

Don’t force it either way. If you’re thirsty, drink. If you’re not, don’t. If you’ve been drinking that much for that long, it will probably take a while to scale back. You may find yourself thirsty just because you’re so used to high volumes.

I used to drink at least 80 oz a day, because I thought it was “healthy”. I found once I cut carbs, and reversed T2D, I don’t drink as much. I have about 30oz of water a day. 16oz or so of coffee through the morning, and a 12oz sparkling mineral water with my evening meal.

(John Somsky aka KetoGrinder) #14

So keto acts as a diuretic which is why there is the recommendation to drink more water when on keto. However drinking too much water can flush electrolytes out of your system. Also it is my understanding that if you don’t have adequate sodium then your body may not use magnesium or potassium effectively. I can’t remember where I heard that so that may or may not be accurate. But in any case I’d suggest increasing your salt intake. Maybe try an Epsom Salt bath, that helped my cramps.

(Jim Kuder) #15

I have heard much talk about intermittent fasting and only having water and salt. How much water, but more importantly how much salt? Anything else that can be had on fast, like coffee?

#16

@juice is hinting at the fact that “how much protein is enough/excessive/deficient?” is a controversial question.

The general guideline is around .8g-1.5g per kilogram of lean body mass. Protein really should be a goal to be met, not a real limit. I’d recommend starting at 1g/kg and see how you feel.

(Doug) #17

Jim, with intermittent fasting, i.e. eating at least once a day, I think the electrolytes question is usually much less important. If one feels bad, then of course that should still be addressed.

Extended fasting - where it goes into multiple days, does bring it up more often, i.e. am I getting enough sodium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, etc.? There is huge personal variation here. Some people definitely feel better with supplementing, some don’t feel they need it. I’ve read accounts like Scott Ragsdale’s where he fasts for 30 or 40 days and it’s just water, nothing else.

I’ve read - and my doctor confirmed this - that it’s only about 25% of the population who are sensitive to getting “too much salt.” Most people will just excrete any excess, with no problems. When fasting, I’ve added some salt, like sucking on those big crystals of the ‘pink Himalyan’ stuff, and a very few times I think it has made me feel better.

Water - as long as one’s urine isn’t dark, I think things are good. This too is an area of great individual variation; there are even people who “dry fast” where they drink no water at all. Lots of debate over it, and I tend to view it with a questioning eye, at least, but there are people who swear by it.

Coffee and tea - with nothing added - are fine for fasting. A little fat like butter or cream added in doesn’t hurt at all, in my opinion, but would stay away from sugar and milk. Artificial sweeteners - here too I think it’s a matter of personal experience and preference; not everybody reacts the same way to them, or to a given variety.