Should I take a potassium supplement?
Should I take a potassium supplement?
DEAR DOCTOR:
I have high blood pressure. Should I take a potassium supplement?
DEAR READER:
This is a great question, but before I answer, let me take a step back to explain the connection between potassium and blood pressure.
Tens of thousands of years ago, our ancestors survived on wild animals and a variety of plant foods. This diet delivered plenty of potassium but scant sodium. Today, the average American diet contains about twice as much sodium as potassium, as a result of the high levels of salt in processed foods. This sodium-potassium imbalance is thought to be a major contributor to high blood pressure.
Now, back to your question. The short answer is no, you should not take potassium supplements unless your doctor prescribes them. People on blood pressure medications, in particular, need to be careful about potassium supplements.
Many blood pressure medications can lower your potassium level. Very low potassium can lead to dangerous heart rhythms. Many commonly prescribed diuretics lower potassium levels. If you are taking potassium-lowering diuretics, your doctor will check the level of potassium in your blood. If it is low, the doctor may prescribe potassium supplements.
But other types of diuretics, and other commonly prescribed blood pressure medicines, can raise potassium levels. Examples of such drugs are the diuretic called spironolactone, the drugs called ACE inhibitors, and drugs called angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs). Common painkillers such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or naproxen (Aleve) can raise potassium levels. Abnormally high potassium levels also can cause dangerous heart rhythms.
If you are taking any medicines known to either raise or lower your potassium to dangerous levels, your doctor should periodically check your blood potassium level. Keeping that level in the correct range is important. This mineral also plays a key role in the function of nerves and muscles, including heart muscle.
Your kidneys help regulate potassium levels in your blood. They tend to keep your potassium level from going abnormally high or low. But age and medical conditions may impair kidney function. As a result, the kidneys are not as good at protecting you against abnormal potassium levels.
The FDA limits over-the-counter potassium supplements to less than 100 milligrams (mg). However, grocery stores carry salt substitutes that may contain much higher amounts of potassium. People trying to curb their sodium intake may use salt substitutes. That’s a bad idea if you take a blood pressure medicine that tends to raise potassium levels.
Your best bet is to get your potassium from foods instead of pills. Many fruits and vegetables are rich in potassium. Spinach, sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, bananas and avocado are all good sources. Potassium-rich diets help control blood pressure and also lower your risk of stroke.
Another connection between potassium and high blood pressure is a rare condition of the adrenal glands that can cause both high blood pressure and very low blood potassium levels.
So if you have high blood pressure, ask your doctor what your potassium level is. If the doctor hasn’t checked your potassium, gently suggest that it might be a good idea. more
DEAR DOCTOR:
I have high blood pressure. Should I take a potassium supplement?
DEAR READER:
This is a great question, but before I answer, let me take a step back to explain the connection between potassium and blood pressure.
Tens of thousands of years ago, our ancestors survived on wild animals and a variety of plant foods. This diet delivered plenty of potassium but scant sodium. Today, the average American diet contains about twice as much sodium as potassium, as a result of the high levels of salt in processed foods. This sodium-potassium imbalance is thought to be a major contributor to high blood pressure.
Now, back to your question. The short answer is no, you should not take potassium supplements unless your doctor prescribes them. People on blood pressure medications, in particular, need to be careful about potassium supplements.
Many blood pressure medications can lower your potassium level. Very low potassium can lead to dangerous heart rhythms. Many commonly prescribed diuretics lower potassium levels. If you are taking potassium-lowering diuretics, your doctor will check the level of potassium in your blood. If it is low, the doctor may prescribe potassium supplements.
But other types of diuretics, and other commonly prescribed blood pressure medicines, can raise potassium levels. Examples of such drugs are the diuretic called spironolactone, the drugs called ACE inhibitors, and drugs called angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs). Common painkillers such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or naproxen (Aleve) can raise potassium levels. Abnormally high potassium levels also can cause dangerous heart rhythms.
If you are taking any medicines known to either raise or lower your potassium to dangerous levels, your doctor should periodically check your blood potassium level. Keeping that level in the correct range is important. This mineral also plays a key role in the function of nerves and muscles, including heart muscle.
Your kidneys help regulate potassium levels in your blood. They tend to keep your potassium level from going abnormally high or low. But age and medical conditions may impair kidney function. As a result, the kidneys are not as good at protecting you against abnormal potassium levels.
The FDA limits over-the-counter potassium supplements to less than 100 milligrams (mg). However, grocery stores carry salt substitutes that may contain much higher amounts of potassium. People trying to curb their sodium intake may use salt substitutes. That’s a bad idea if you take a blood pressure medicine that tends to raise potassium levels.
Your best bet is to get your potassium from foods instead of pills. Many fruits and vegetables are rich in potassium. Spinach, sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, bananas and avocado are all good sources. Potassium-rich diets help control blood pressure and also lower your risk of stroke.
Another connection between potassium and high blood pressure is a rare condition of the adrenal glands that can cause both high blood pressure and very low blood potassium levels.
So if you have high blood pressure, ask your doctor what your potassium level is. If the doctor hasn’t checked your potassium, gently suggest that it might be a good idea. more
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If we want disease free happy/stress free and peaceful life,we must follow: 1. Laws of nature and adopt natural ways of living,BY DEPENDING MORE AND MORE ON RAW/FRESH/PURE/ORGANIC/SEASONAL/REGIONAL FRUITS/GREEN/MULTI COLORED VEGETATION,KEPT DIPPED IN SALINE WATER FOR FOUR HOURS/MORE AND THEN FLUSH WASHED. ALSO STRIKE A BALANCE AMONG ALL ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF LIFE LIKE: PURE AIR,SUNSHINE,EARTH,WATER AND SKY. THE IMBALANCE/IMPURITY OF THESE FIVE ELEMENTS IS THE CAUSE OF DISEASE. 2.WE CAN LEARN MORE FROM ANIMALS/NATURE and AVOID EATING AFTER SUNSET AND BEFORE SUNRISE. Abstain from outside/added SUGARS,PROCESSED/POLISHED/UNHUSKED REFINED OILS/eatables,RICE,PULSES,MILK AND ALL MILK PRODUCTS, ALCOHOLIC/COLD/ SOFT DRINKS, TOBACCO/PRODUCTS, EGGS, NON-VEG, ALL BAKERY PRODUCTS, ALL CHEMICAL/SYNTHETIC/artificial/MARKET PREPARED/PACKAGED/PRESERVED/JUNK/FAST FOODS/DEEP FRIED EATABLES,MORE OF TEA/COFFEE,SALT/SEA SALT (RATHER USE UPTO 5 GMs/DAILY OF ROCK SALT-SENDHA NAMAK). NO ANIMALS OTHER THAN MAN,HAS THEM AS THEIR STAPLE/ROUTINE FOOD AND LIVING UNDER WORSE CONDITIONS,THEY ARE FAR BETTER/HEALTHIER THAN US. USE FEW HUSKED/SPROUTED PULSES (LESS AT NIGHT/SUMMERS) LIKE MOONG,MOTH, BLACK GRAM,SOAKED DRY FRUITS(IF AFFORDABLE AND MORE IN WINTER) LIKE ALMOND, WALNUT,ANJEER (FIG),GROUNDNUTS,POPPY SEEDS,SEEDS OF WATERMELON/MUSK MELON.Don't take white eatables like curd/milk products,sugar,rice,radish etc.AT NIGHT. BEST WAYS OF COOKING/PRESERVING ARE SOAKING/SPROUTS,STEAMING,ROASTING, BOILING,BAKING ,WORSE IS FRYING AND THE WORST IS DEEP FRYING/RE-FRYING/ CHEMICAL/SALT/SUGAR PROCESSING/PRESERVING. ALL REFINED OILS ARE BAD. BUT USE THEM THE LEAST AND ALTERNATING THEM AMONG THE BETTER ONES LIKE MUSTARD/ OLIVE/SUNFLOWER/COTTON/CANULA/COCONUT/GROUNDNUT. BUT NEVER RE-USE A USED OIL FOR FRYING/DEEP FRYING,SINCE IT SHALL BECOME A POISON ON FRYING. (CAN ADD IT IN VEGES) 3. BE CONTENTED WITH WHAT WE HAVE AND THEN ALSO CONTINUE STRIVING FOR BETTERMENT,BUT THRU FAIR/GOOD MEANS,WHICH ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE END/RESULT. 4. BE IN THE PRESENT RATHER THAN THINK OF THE PAST WHICH HAS PASSED (EXCEPT TO LEARN FROM THE PAST EXPERIENCES) OR THE FUTURE WHICH IS QUITE UNCERTAIN/YET TO COME. BEING IN SELF ESTEEM/WELL POISED/BALANCED IS BEING IN THE PRESENT. 5. DON'T BLAME/COMPETE/COMPARE WITH OTHERS/SITUATIONS, FOR WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH US,SINCE ALL HAPPENINGS ARE THE RESULT OF OUR PAST/PRESENT LIFE KARMAS. HENCE, LET'S SURPASS/FACE THEM BOLDLY RATHER THAN MURMUR. BETTER NOT HAND OVER OUR REMOTE CONTROL TO OTHERS BY BLAMING THEM FOR OUR EMOTIONS LIKE ANGER,HATRED,REVENGE,JEALOUSY OR EVEN HAPPINESS. 6. LIFE IS MORE A JOURNEY THAN A DESTINATION. SO LET'S ENJOY THE JOURNEY, NOT EMPHASIZING ON THE DESTINATION/RESULT/DEATH,WHICH IS BOUND TO BE ACHIEVED AND THERE SHALL AGAIN BE LIFE/JOURNEY AFTER DEATH/DESTINATION,SINCE SOUL/MATTER/ENERGY IS INDESTRUCTIBLE,IT NEVER DIES,RATHER ONLY CHANGES ITS SHAPE/THE BODY. THEN WHY WORRY. 7. STRESS IS GOOD ONLY IF/TILL IT CAN SOLVE OUR PROBLEMS. 8. WE GET WHAT WE GIVE, RATHER THAN WHAT WE TAKE. SO, LET'S GIVE AND GIVE LIKE ANIMALS/NATURE. 9. GOOD THING ABOUT BAD THINGS IS THAT THEY DON'T LAST LONG. BAD THING ABOUT GOOD THINGS IS THAT THEY ALSO DON'T LAST LONG. 10. DON'T WORRY ABOUT THINGS WE CAN DO NOTHING ABOUT. DON'T WORRY ALSO ABOUT THINGS WE CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT,JUST DO THAT. more
Oct 14
Thanks Dr. Rajaa Chandra, and for opening up about you, and also having a wonderful hobby. With best wishes more
Oct 12
Dear Mr. G.C. Mathur. I am not a Medical Doctor. It is my hobby to collect good Authentic information and pass it on to you all to read and disseminate the information to others. You will have consult a Good Cardiologist on your ailment. Best Regards and wishing you a Happy Dushera. more
Oct 11
Dear Doctor, what are diuretics and their role in keeping the chemistry in balance? About a month back, in the morning when I got up from bed I started feeling slight pain in the chest which started travelling to shoulders. Then as SOS I took Stemetil followed by Vertin 8 and Sorbitrate 5mg and, still, I passed out and remained in that state for about2-3 minutes and returned to normal but with extreme weakness. I was rushed to hospital in ambulance where I was diagnosed with Unstable Angina, a chronic disease. Further, I am 80 years old patient and have just been diagnosed (1) Paroxysmal Atrial Flutter, (2) Warafarin induced bleeding (INR 3.6), (3) Hypertension, (4) DM type 2, (5) Chronic kidney disease (Creat 1.5), and (6) Post CABG (2003). I just had UGI Endoscopy that speaks about Esophagus and it says, "Small Hiatus Hernia, and no ulcer/erosions/varices. I have been prescribed: (1) Dytor 10mg, (2) Clopidogrel 75mg, (3) Atorvastatin (Lopivas) 10mg, (4) Metoprolol XL 50mg, (5) Tab Amiodarone 200 mg, (6) Inj Mixtard 20U in morning and 15 U at night, (7) Inj Lantus 2DU at 10m, (8) Tab Coralium D3 - Shellcal, (9) Tab Pantop 40 mg, and (10) Acitrom 10mg. Still, I feel there is something wrong with my blood chemistry which is causing extreme shake in legs. I feel drained and week and slight breathlessness. In the morning after getting up I feel some "Jhan Jhan" in the body, do not feel fresh, and likely to fall. I would like to understand if the treatment I am taking is okay. I would also like to know what type of natural food I should be taking, although I take vegetarian but boiled egg once a day. Dear Doctor, please, excuse me if I have burdened you with too many questions. Thanks with kind regards, more
Oct 11
