Why do we need sodium and animals don’t on keto


(Cristian Lopez) #1

Simple question: Why do we feel better on keto with sodium/electrolyte supplementation, but animals in ketosis get so little in ratio to us?


#2

That’s a good question, maybe animals don’t waste sodium/minerals at the faster rate that humans do when in Keto/fasting?


(Michael - When reality fails to meet expectations, the problem is not reality.) #3

Citation please?


(squirrel-kissing paper tamer) #4

If you’ve ever seen wildlife eating dirt in a certain spot (salt deposited there) or gathered around a salt lick, or had rodents who also enjoy a mineral block in their enclosure it’s obvious animals do indeed seek out salt when they need it.


#5

Many animals seek out salt, ask any hunter! Also, many animals eat other animals and just like if we did the organs and blood with give them a descent amount of sodium.


(Full Metal KETO AF) #6

Yeah, I think poachers sometimes leave salt blocks so deer get the habit of going there. Cows and horses also need it.

:cowboy_hat_face:


(Cristian Lopez) #7

I mean we put salt on our foods, some people supplement electrolytes, others add lite salt to water like I do. I want to know if this requirement for so much salt is natural as for “do we see animals doing it too”?

I will always be supportive of salt, especially Redmond’s real salt, but I’m just curious?


(Michael - When reality fails to meet expectations, the problem is not reality.) #8

Yes, as noted above by @PetaMarie and @lfod14. To which I will add that farmers also provide salt blocks for their livestock. I asked for a citation on the chance you had read something that discussed the issue. I also question whether or not those of us on keto need more salt, or just need to replenish more frequently because we don’t have glucose/glycogen holding onto water and dissolved salts.


#9

Carnivorous animals access electrolytes through blood and blood filled organs of their prey. Ruminants access electrolytes through salt licks, the release of electrolytes from plants via fermentation, and through their soil percolated drinking water.

Electrolyte and mineral nutrient deficiency does occur in animals, especially food producing species.

Electrolye and mineral nutrient deficiency does occur in plants. Gardeners can see the changes in foliage to understand what may be deficient in the soil.

But getting to an answer. Ketogenic eaters do not eat enough intrinsically salt laden foods regularly, that being blood and blood filled organs.

It seems the vampires were at least partially correct.

As an aside. The ketogenic diet lowers insulin. Insulin is the main hormone in sodium retention via the kidneys. Lower insulin is beneficial in many ways, especially if a person has been in a high insulin state for many decades. But a downside of low insulin is the need to replace sodium via food or drinks as it is not recycled via the kidneys to the same extent as when the body is in a higher insulin state.


(Katie) #10

Odd question. While we are asking irrelevant questions…
Why can we eat onions but they will make cats sick? How can horses eat poison ivy and we cannot even touch it?

All these questions and more have nothing to do with the human body and it’s functions, Maybe if we were taking about the great apes it would be pertinent


(Cristian Lopez) #11

That’s exactly why I was asking? What makes them so different then us biologically.


(Michael - When reality fails to meet expectations, the problem is not reality.) #12

@KidKeto Start here: