Thu, Aug-22-02, 22:30
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Forum Founder
Posts: 37,415
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Plan: LC, GF
Stats: 241/190/140
BF:
Progress: 50%
Location: Eastern ON, Canada
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It's a myth that potassium-based salt substitutes and potassium supplement pills will cause cardiac arrest in a person with healthy kidneys, who is not taking medications for heart or blood pressure problems. If you are adequately hydrated, and not experiencing a dehydrating illness with vomiting and/or diarrhea ... then it's unlikely for potassium to build up in the system to dangerous levels. Healthy kidneys will excrete any excess in the urine.
Plus .. when you take pills, or eat some food with the Nu Salt on it ... it doesn't go from your mouth directly to your heart! It gets mixed in with whatever else is in your stomach, and then is slowly and gradually absorbed over time. In fact, potassium pills have a special coating on them which will slow their absorption ... not to avoid a "cardiac event" but rather to protect the stomach and esophagus, since potassium can be irritating.
Damaged kidneys, or certain medications for blood pressure can cause potassium to be retained. In these situations, the levels of potassium will build up chronically in the blood, and yes can cause problems when they reach a critical level.
1/8 tsp Nu Salt provides 528 mg potassium. A medium California avocado has 1,100 mg potassium in it. A can of red salmon has 1,390 mg. Nobody has keeled over from their heart seizing up after eating these foods.
Doreen
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