Atkins Diet: Hypokalemia -- Do you need a banana?

One of my good friends on the Atkins Diet, Izaboutime, talked to me regarding a scare he had. He was following the diet religiously and working out fiendishly in the gym. In that time, he sweated the potassium of his body and put himself into a hypokalemic state. He thought he was having a heart attack. The post script to his tale is he found out what it was and wanted to be sure others knew as well. That was why this video was created.

Hypokalemia
https://health.google.com/health/ref/Hypokalemia
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002413.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypokalemia

What is Potassium Good for? * important for neuron (brain and nerve) functioning * maintaining osmotic and pH balance - electrolyte * fluid balance * heart, kidney and adrenal functions * preventing muscle contraction
Recommended daily intake of over 4-5,000mg.

Is it a common problem?
Biochemical abnormalities of the ketogenic diet in children.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1940242/?tool=pmcentrez
This study discovered serum levels of sodium, potassium, and calcium were similarly unaltered in humans consuming a ketogenic diet.

What causes a hypokalemia?
* Diuretics, Stimulant Laxatives or Eating Disorders (Bulimia)
* Excessive Sweating / Extreme exercise
* Diarrhea
* Diseases that affect the kidney's ability to retain potassium (for example, Cushing syndrome)
* Surgical procedures to shorten the intestines where Potassium is absorbed
* Extremely rarely poor diet
In the case of Atkins or most diets, the initial state is diuretic with the loss of glycogen which can temporarily influence electrolyte levels. This is one of the reasons, Dr. Atkins recommends eating potassium rich foods like the ones mentioned in the video, being on guard for leg cramps, and if present, talking with your doctor about a Potassium supplement.

Potassium Rich Foods: * 4 oz beef (sirloin) 495 mg * 4 oz grilled salmon 480 mg * 1 cup chopped chicken breast meat 358 mg * 1 4 oz pork chop (boneless) 514 mg * 1 cup cooked chopped broccoli 458 mg * ½ avocado 436 mg * 1 medium banana 422 mg * ½ cup cooked spinach 420 mg * 1 cup raw cauliflower 303 mg

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Atkins Diet
• Low Carb
• Bowulf
• Hypokalemia
• Potassium
• Deficiency
• Ketogenic
• Diets
• Risk

[cfoster3406]

Kent. every time i start doing the Atkins I urinate all night and when I get up my heart beat is irregular and I feel very weak to the point that I cant function. Ive tried a glass of tomato juice and it doesnt work that great. Im no trying to go over my carbs so what do I do?

[bowulf]

@cfoster3406 You are on the right video. Your electrolytes are low, so you need to replenish them (likely both sodium and potassium which this video deals with). You can supplement both with Lite-Salt (half sodium / half potassium), which is what this video recommends. Add a half tsp of Lite-Salt to your food, or drink 2 cups of chicken broth. Or you can try broccoli which has as much potassium as a banana.

[TPD605]

Thanks Kent. This was very informative. I was in the hospital twice for my heart going into severe A-Fib due to potassium levels being extemely low. I sweat a lot, partially because I am overweight and partially because I am a police officer wearing a lot of gear. Both times it happened when I was chasing suspects. I was worried about this diet not being sufficient in potassium.

[bowulf]

@TPD605 I think with the addition of Lite-Salt or No-Salt you should be fine. It is a cheap and easy way to ensure you have enough of this mineral. Meat like I said in the video has as much as bananas, but it doesn;t hurt to ensure you get enough and ensure your electrolytes stay in balance.

[bowulf]

@Psychologizer That's fine - you're on a different journey with different rules than I am, so best of luck.

For me, I wanted to be sure once I hit my goal weight that I was not only thin but also fit. If I had not exercised, I know for myself I would not be as healthy as I am today. If Dr. Poon has different thoughts on how to be thin and fit, certainly follow them.

[Psychologizer]

@bowulf Dr. Poon metabolic clinic helps hundreds of people, including me, exercise is optional. Lost 70 pounds of fat in 14 weeks with keto, don't wanna see that video.

[bowulf]

@Psychologizer Check out my Exercise is Non-Negotiable video for more thoughts on why exercise is still needed.

[bowulf]

@Psychologizer You are missing the point of the exercise. While the exercise may or may not help lose weight, what it is necessary for is preservation of muscle mass and increasing one's overall level of fitness. Losing weight while awesome is not the sole goal of Atkins. Becoming more fit and healthy (which includes being at a reasonable weight) is.

There are plenty of thin unfit people with poor heart health. Exercising gets your heart healthier, body fat% better, and endurance longer.