I've heard many people talk about taking Potassium and L-Carnitine. Can anyone clarify what these do and why they're important to take while on Atkins? Thanks!

From the Protein Power Lifeplan book,

"Potassium, potassium, potassium. In public speaking classes, instructors always inpart this advice: 'If you want your audience to remember something, you must say it three times!' And thus the title of this section. In the initial stages of this regimen, you absolutely must take a daily supplement of potassium. Why? Because, unfortunately, as your kidneys waste the excess sodium and fluid they've been so busily accumulating when your insulin was high, they'll waste some potassium as well. Potassium, like magnesium, resides inside the cells of the body, meaning that the levels of it in the blood don't really tell you much about total body levels. In general, people with insulin-related disorders--particularly those who have been on diuretic medications for fluid retention or blood pressure--may be deficient in potassium at the start of their rehabilitation. And the loss of excess fluid that occurs in the first week or so will only compound that problem. Low potassium will make you feel like--as they say in the South--'something the cat drug up.' Too tired to climb the stairs, too tired to even breathe. And low potassium can cause your muscles to cramp and more important, can put you at risk for disturbances of heart rhythm. Take your potassium, take your potassium, take your potassium (again, we've said it three times so you'll take note of its importance). One way to incorporate more potassium into your diet is by using salt-replacement products, such as NoSalt Salt Alternative or Morton's Lite Sald or Salt Substitute on your foods. Just a sprinkle on salads or hot foods can help to keep your potassium levels in the normal range. In the early weeks of the plan, however, that addition may not suffice, so before beginning the program, we recommend purchasing an over-the-counter potassium supplement (each tablet will contain 99 mg) and taking four each day for the first several weeks you're at the Intervention Level. After that you can probably taper off to a couple a day plus what's in the varied diet you're sure to be eating.

One important word of caution here: If you currently take medications for your heart, migraine headaches, fluid retention, or blood pressure, be sure to check with your pharmacist before supplementing with potassium. Certain medications for these conditions (but by no means all) can block the potassium loss that usually comes with ridding the body of excess water. Taking potassium along with these medications might lead to a buildup of too much potassium--a condition just as dangerous as too little is. Your pharmacist will know if your medications could cause this. Ask to be sure."

L-carnatine supposedly helps in the moving of fat out of the fat cells. It is very expensive and I haven't heard of many people who have had good results with it.

L-Glutamine is "an amino acid that nurishes the cells that line the intestinal tract" (PPLP). It can be useful in small doses of 50 mg before meals to reduce cravings. People who are doing heavy weight lifting often use it in larger amounts of 5-15 grams in protein shakes to relieve muscle soreness and help the muscles to heal faster.

Another important thing to take is a calcium/magnesium supplement in a 2:1 ratio. It also helps with fatigue, and muscle cramps/weakness and works with potassium.

Beth