Electrolyte supplementation on a keto diet?

The keto flu

When you restrict carbohydrates, the body begins to process electrolytes in a different way. This is because, under conditions of low insulin, the kidneys excrete more sodium. Since there is a delicate balance between sodium and other electrolytes in the body, this increase in sodium excretion can have a knock-on effect and disrupt other electrolytes as well.

In some cases, this leads to symptoms that are sometimes described as the “keto flu”. The symptoms are usually temporary, but they may continue indefinitely if your electrolytes continue to stay out of balance.

The main electrolytes affected by this process are sodium, potassium and magnesium. There are other electrolytes in your bloodstream, such as calcium and phosphorus, but their levels don’t change much on a keto diet. However, getting sodium, magnesium, and potassium in balance can help prevent against symptoms of keto flu and fix some of the side effects you may have long term. Read on to find out more about them.

Do you need mineral supplementation?

The decision to take mineral supplements should be based on how you feel and whether or not you experience any symptoms. If you already feel good on a keto diet, the chances are you do not need to worry about electrolytes (although you may feel you want to try out increasing your intake of them to see if you feel even better!)

Bear in mind that if you engage in endurance exercise or any type of rigorous physical activity, you may find it difficult to get enough electrolytes solely from food, and you may choose to take supplements for performance reasons.

Here are the daily mineral needs for people who follow a keto lifestyle, the best keto-friendly food sources, and supplement recommendations for those who can’t meet their needs through diet alone.

Sodium

According to many health organizations, most people should cut back on sodium in order to prevent high blood pressure and other health problems.

On high-carb diets, this might be true. However, on a keto diet, your sodium needs may actually increase, due to increased losses via the kidneys.

Furthermore, the population-wide advice to cut salt is seriously questioned today. At least six recent studies have showed no clear benefit or possibly even an increased mortality with lower salt intakes.

It seems like an intake below about 5 grams of sodium per day may lead to a shorter average life.

Reasons for possible deficiency

When carb intake is dramatically reduced, blood insulin levels decrease and there is an increase in the amount of sodium the body loses.

If sodium isn’t replaced, you may experience a variety of symptoms.

Symptoms

• Fatigue
• Weakness
• Headaches
• Difficulty concentrating

Daily need: 3 – 7 g of sodium (7 – 17 g of salt, i.e. 1-3 teaspoons)

Note that salt and sodium are not quite same thing, when you calculate your daily intake. Salt contains only 40% sodium, and the remainder is another mineral, chloride. So although you increase your sodium intake by eating more salt, it’s important to remember that eating one teaspoon (6 g) of salt provides you with only 2.4 g of actual sodium.

Add salt to your diet

Most people get at least 2 g of sodium from the foods they eat. You can add a teaspoon of salt to a liter of water and drink it over the course of the day (remember that one teaspoon of salt provides around 2.4 g of sodium). Another strategy is to drink broth or bouillon, which contains about 1 g of sodium per cup.

If you do physical exercise, adding sodium prior to a workout may improve your performance. In their book The Art and Science of Low Carb Performance Drs. Phinney and Volek recommend taking ½ teaspoon of salt within the half hour prior to exercising.

Note: If you have high blood pressure, heart failure, or kidney disease, be sure to speak with your doctor before increasing your sodium intake.

Potassium

When your body loses sodium, your kidneys excrete more potassium in an attempt to maintain balance.

Symptoms

• Muscle cramps
• Muscle twitching
• Heart palpitations/Increased awareness of heartbeat

Daily need: 3,000–4,700 mg (3–4.7 g) of potassium

Although most foods contain only low to modest amounts of potassium, there are several low-carb sources that can help you meet your daily requirement.

High-potassium foods

To get more potassium into your diet, you could take potassium supplements. Or, why not try adding an avocado or a couple of servings of other keto-friendly high-potassium foods to your diet on a daily basis?

1. Avocado 1,000 mg per medium avocado (200 grams)
2. Swiss chard, cooked 950 mg per cup (175 grams)
3. Spinach, cooked 840 mg per cup (180 grams)
4. Mushrooms, cooked 550 mg per cup (150 grams)
5. Brussels sprouts: 500 mg per cup (160 grams)
6. Broccoli, cooked 460 mg per cup (160 grams)
7. Salmon 430–500 mg per 4 ounces (114 grams)
8. Meat 400–500 mg per 4 ounces (114 grams)
9. Flounder 400 mg per 4 ounces (114 grams)
10. Artichoke 345 mg per medium artichoke (121 grams)
11. Hemp seeds 335 mg per ounce (30 grams)
12. Almonds 200 mg per ounce (30 grams)

Supplements

Although getting potassium from your diet is preferable, if you are very active or don’t consume enough potassium-rich food on a regular basis, it may make sense to take supplemental potassium on an as-needed basis.

Potassium supplements are typically available as 99 mg tablets. This is because your blood potassium levels need to remain within a narrow range, and taking too much in concentrated form can be dangerous, especially for those who take certain medications.

Note that although the front label on a potassium supplement may list 595 mg as the dosage, each tablet only contains 99 mg of pure potassium, which can be verified on the detailed “Supplement Facts” label on the back of the container. Taking up to 1000 mg of supplemental potassium per day should be safe for most people who aren’t able to meet their needs through food alone.

Note: If you have high blood pressure, heart disease, kidney disease, or are taking medications for any other condition, be sure to speak with your doctor before you take a potassium supplement.

Magnesium

Unlike sodium and potassium, magnesium needs aren’t necessarily increased on a keto diet. However, although magnesium is found in a wide variety of foods, many people don’t get enough magnesium from diet alone.

Symptoms

Muscle twitching or cramping at night or after exercising. Although muscle cramps can also occur with inadequate potassium, sodium, or fluid intake, getting too little magnesium is also a very common cause.

Daily need: 400 mg magnesium

High-magnesium foods

Most foods only contain small amounts of magnesium, but there are a few good sources that can be included on a keto-diet. What’s more, many of them are high in potassium as well. Eating Swiss chard and other cooked greens on a regular basis is s great strategy that can help you meet your magnesium needs.

1. Hemp seeds 195 mg per ounce (30 grams)
2. Swiss chard, cooked 150 mg per cup (175 grams)
3. Pumpkin seeds, dried 150 mg per ounce (30 grams)
4. Mackerel 105 mg per 4 ounces (114 grams)
5. Chia seeds 95 mg per ounce (30 grams)
6. Dark chocolate (70–85% cacao) 70–90 mg per ounce (30 grams)
7. Almonds 75 mg per ounce (30 grams)
8. Spinach, cooked 75 mg per cup (180 grams)
9. Pine nuts 70 mg per ounce (30 grams)
10. Avocado 60 mg per medium avocado (200 grams)
11. Artichoke 50 mg per medium artichoke (120 grams)

Supplements

Taking up to 400 mg of magnesium in supplement form is safe for most people with healthy kidneys. Some forms of magnesium can cause digestive issues, however, especially when taken alone. For this reason, it’s best to take a magnesium supplement with a meal.

Forms that are well absorbed include magnesium citrate, magnesium chloride, and magnesium glycinate. In addition, magnesium glycinate and Slow-Mag (a slow-digesting form of magnesium chloride) seem least likely to cause loose stools or other digestive problems.

Note: If you have kidney disease, you may not be able to handle a large amount of magnesium. In addition, certain medications may interact negatively with magnesium supplements. Speak with your doctor before taking a magnesium supplement if any of these apply to you.