How much potassium do you take

[Crazy_jay]

Curious how much potassium everyone is taking. I have some major potassium issues, my Dr is no help and im failing to find how much potassium I can safely take per day. Everything says from 3500mg to 4700mg, some articles say "consume at least 4700mg if kidneys are healthy". I just recently upped my potassium again. I am supplementing 10,000mg of potassium chloride while also consuming another 2000mg or so from food.

Is it all sodium/potassium balance? Unfortunately, my sodium consumption is through the roof(isnt everyone's). I also work a physical job with lots of sweating.

Most these medical sites on the internet act like your going to die if you take more than 5000mg potassium a day. Ever more so, they act like you going to die if you supplement more 500mg potassium at a time....I TAKE 6000MG POTASSIUM CHLORIDE IN A ONE HOUR SPAN, that's 3000mg of potassium. I mix it in gatorade "shots". Its absorbing fast. Its NOW brand potassium chloride in powder form. If I cant take more potassium even though it's super beneficial for me, I'll end up needing prescription drugs, so I see why Dr's wouldn't recommend more potassium and actually my dr doesn't recommend potassium at all, just tells me to keep taking it if it's working....

Side note: pretty sure this all started from low magnesium that has made me hyperthyroid. I am currently supplementing 1500-2000mg of elemental magnesium. One thing I've noticed, it seems I cant get ahead on magnesium if I'm not taking an ai. Now that I'm hyperthyroid, I seem to be more estrogen sensitive.

 

[Fleezy]

Had a friend whose body would just dump potassium for some reason.. he had to take an exorbitant amount as well

 

[buck]

My potassium levels have always been mid range over the years. I eat healthy natural whole foods so i get a fair amount of potassium from my diet probably around 3000+mg. I added 1000mg recently and am still right in the middle of the range in my blood tests. May go higher to see what happens.

 

[luki7788]

when it comes to blood tests for potassium levels, they are useless for athletes and especially bodybuilders because you can have a normal level of potassium in your blood but at the same time a deficit in your muscles - it sounds strange but it happens very often

 

[BamaCrazy]

Telmisartan keeps my potassium levels high and currently out of range. I try to avoid potassium at all cost.

 

[bbxtreme]

It sounds like you answered your own question. I would never look at potassium as an individual mineral, but in the ratio and balance with sodium and magnesium (electrolytes).

If you eat a complete diet and aren’t taking medications or have some genetic disorder that is causing your body to use more potassium then you shouldn’t need to supplement it as an individual mineral, and even then I go back to the above as it’s usually only off when your electrolytes are out of balance.

 

[bananas007]

Curious how much potassium everyone is taking. I have some major potassium issues, my Dr is no help and im failing to find how much potassium I can safely take per day. Everything says from 3500mg to 4700mg, some articles say "consume at least 4700mg if kidneys are healthy". I just recently upped my potassium again. I am supplementing 10,000mg of potassium chloride while also consuming another 2000mg or so from food.

Is it all sodium/potassium balance? Unfortunately, my sodium consumption is through the roof(isnt everyone's). I also work a physical job with lots of sweating.

Most these medical sites on the internet act like your going to die if you take more than 5000mg potassium a day. Ever more so, they act like you going to die if you supplement more 500mg potassium at a time....I TAKE 6000MG POTASSIUM CHLORIDE IN A ONE HOUR SPAN, that's 3000mg of potassium. I mix it in gatorade "shots". Its absorbing fast. Its NOW brand potassium chloride in powder form. If I cant take more potassium even though it's super beneficial for me, I'll end up needing prescription drugs, so I see why Dr's wouldn't recommend more potassium and actually my dr doesn't recommend potassium at all, just tells me to keep taking it if it's working....

Side note: pretty sure this all started from low magnesium that has made me hyperthyroid. I am currently supplementing 1500-2000mg of elemental magnesium. One thing I've noticed, it seems I cant get ahead on magnesium if I'm not taking an ai. Now that I'm hyperthyroid, I seem to be more estrogen sensitive.

High level of potassium can be lethal very fast. Any level of elevated potassium is considered a medical urgency to emergency and depending on how elevated it is, steps are taken quickly to normalize it.

If someones body is dumping potassium, usually there is some pathological process going on that requires evaluation.

A nephrologist is the best type of doctor that can help you figure out.

 

[Bio]

Do you use a diuretic or blood pressure medication with a diuretic in it? A potassium level too high or too low is very dangerous! The amount you're supplementing with sounds reckless!! Get another opinion. This isn't something you want to screw around with!

 

[Neuro1234]

pretty sure this all started from low magnesium that has made me hyperthyroid

I’m not a thyroid expert, but I’m pretty sure hyperthyroid causes low magnesium. Not vice versa. What were your last thyroid levels? If your thyroid isn’t under control this could all be a cascade from that. Just a thought.

 

[Stewie]

I’m not a thyroid expert, but I’m pretty sure hyperthyroid causes low magnesium. Not vice versa. What were your last thyroid levels? If your thyroid isn’t under control this could all be a cascade from that. Just a thought.

And hypomagnesemia can manifest to hypokalemia. I would question if there's any bouts of hypoglycemia, potentially spiking insulin levels and catecholamine release shuttling K+ intracellularly leading to hypokalemia.

High level of potassium can be lethal very fast. Any level of elevated potassium is considered a medical urgency to emergency and depending on how elevated it is, steps are taken quickly to normalize it.

If someones body is dumping potassium, usually there is some pathological process going on that requires evaluation.

A nephrologist is the best type of doctor that can help you figure out.

Your best advice right here ^

 

[Neuro1234]

I would question if there's any bouts of hypoglycemia, potentially spiking insulin levels and catecholamine release shuttling K+ intracellularly leading to hypokalemia.

This was my thought with the cascade comment, insulin spikes causing K+ shifts. IIRC 100 mEq of K+ is equal to approx 3900mg. So needing 250+ mEq daily says something is amiss.

 

[Neuro1234]

And hypomagnesemia can manifest to hypokalemia. I would question if there's any bouts of hypoglycemia, potentially spiking insulin levels and catecholamine release shuttling K+ intracellularly leading to hypokalemia.


Your best advice right here ^

Thinking more about OP’s dosage, the only time I’ve seen someone need remotely that much IV k+ replacement in a 24 hour period is a patient in severe DKA requiring high dose continuous insulin drip. Then it’s just constant 20mEq bags q hour to correct.

 

[LK3]

i dont take it every day but when i did use it i used potassium citrate. i have seen pc used to lower bp too.
taking it pre event can help with lactic acid burn in endurance events. always used at least 5g at a time.

 

[Crazy_jay]

And hypomagnesemia can manifest to hypokalemia. I would question if there's any bouts of hypoglycemia, potentially spiking insulin levels and catecholamine release shuttling K+ intracellularly leading to hypokalemia.


Your best advice right here ^

Ok, yes, now we are getting somewhere. You've already spoke more on my condition with what little info I've given than I've managed to get out of all the Dr's I've seen. Its always deer in the headlights look.

I get hypoglycemia, insulin spikes, huges shifts of potassium. Androgens make it 100 times worse. Any time I pin test and my test levels go above normal, i hemorrhage potassium. It all shifts out of my blood and into my cells every morning. I need pretty much a days worth of potassium first thing in the morning to function. I took 8000mg potassium chloride this morning before noon. Shit "mineral water" all morning. My bowels will have mineral/oil floating in it. Reminds me of apple juice, it has that mineral look on the top surface.

Both my brothers have graves disease. I do not have graves antibodies but my right thyroid lobe is enlarged to 6cm and according to Google, that is in fact a goiter despite the endo saying I'm fine. I have all symptoms of hyperthyroidism. Only my ft3 goes high. Since my tsh and t4 are always "good", they won't do anything. But they aren't good because while tsh and t4 are in range, their numbers don't work together.

My dheas is high but I don't supplement it. Calcium stays borderline high but parathyroid fine. I've had so much bloodwork done.

I chase magnesium for one reason, your thyroid can produce extra ft3 if your body fails the atp process to rebuild muscle if magnesium is low. Then the thyroid takes over. Also, chronic low magnesium can cause hashimotos disease.cmy middle brother has both hashimotos and graves according to his dr.

Unfortunately, i think my days of using steroids is over.

Also, according to medscape, I am alotted 8-9000mg of potassium chloride per day without doing bloodwork.

I had a referral to ku med to see an endo but I guess based on my bloodwork, they never called. First endo i saw said I was fine and said I had no family history of thyroid disorder despite the fact he sees my brother for hyperthyroidism. He knew I was using testosterone and wrote me off instantly.

 

[Crazy_jay]

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214647414000282

 

[Crazy_jay]

I’m not a thyroid expert, but I’m pretty sure hyperthyroid causes low magnesium. Not vice versa. What were your last thyroid levels? If your thyroid isn’t under control this could all be a cascade from that. Just a thought.

I posted a link and screenshot just above this post. Chronic low magnesium can cause thyroid issues. I grew up poor on processed food and while my diet is way better, old habits die hard. I've never consumed enough magnesium, there's just no way. But my entire family has thyroid issues, so I may just be fucked. Unfortunately doctors won't help me because my tsh and t4 are "fine"

 

[Crazy_jay]

Do you use a diuretic or blood pressure medication with a diuretic in it? A potassium level too high or too low is very dangerous! The amount you're supplementing with sounds reckless!! Get another opinion. This isn't something you want to screw around with!

Diuretics make it worse. I dunno

 

[Crazy_jay]

Thinking more about OP’s dosage, the only time I’ve seen someone need remotely that much IV k+ replacement in a 24 hour period is a patient in severe DKA requiring high dose continuous insulin drip. Then it’s just constant 20mEq bags q hour to correct.

Okay yes, but while my fasting glucose was 110, my a1c was 5.1. Where do we go from here. I dont disagree with anyone here. How do I fix myself? Anymore, id rather be dead.

 

[Neuro1234]

I posted a link and screenshot just above this post. Chronic low magnesium can cause thyroid issues. I grew up poor on processed food and while my diet is way better, old habits die hard. I've never consumed enough magnesium, there's just no way. But my entire family has thyroid issues, so I may just be fucked. Unfortunately doctors won't help me because my tsh and t4 are "fine"

as I said, no thyroid expert. i did scan your study you attached, while it is just an observational study, i saw no data saying that magnesium is the cause, rather everyone with hyperthyroid had low mag levels. There was a decrease in thyroid levels with magnesium supplementation ranging from 5-10mg/kg.

However. That’s not the point of my post. The point is, if your thyroid is fucked then your electrolytes will follow.

Where do you go from here? Go to an endocrinologist, possibly a thyroid specialist, stop supplementing with extremely high dose electrolytes hoping it will fix a problem you don’t know the source of, and stop trying to find the answer for an extremely complex problem on a bodybuilding forum. This is far to complex to be asking a bunch of strangers on the internet.

 

[Crazy_jay]

as I said, no thyroid expert. i did scan your study you attached, while it is just an observational study, i saw no data saying that magnesium is the cause, rather everyone with hyperthyroid had low mag levels. There was a decrease in thyroid levels with magnesium supplementation ranging from 5-10mg/kg.

However. That’s not the point of my post. The point is, if your thyroid is fucked then your electrolytes will follow.

Where do you go from here? Go to an endocrinologist, possibly a thyroid specialist, stop supplementing with extremely high dose electrolytes hoping it will fix a problem you don’t know the source of, and stop trying to find the answer for an extremely complex problem on a bodybuilding forum. This is far to complex to be asking a bunch of strangers on the internet.

Bro, you guys are all I got. Doctors are fucking stupid and they prove it time and time again. My mom, my stepdad, my bothers, we all fucked with stupid as doctors. Health isn't the same for everyone. How do I take 6000mg of potassium chloride in a one hour span and only feel better, not worse. Apparently I should die on that dose but I don't. Excess supplementation improved my egrf...?

My life, my job, my marriage, can't this shit just kill me. I'm losing it all anyways.