Potassium question...

[AtomStrange]

Afternoon all... Will start with a description of what caused me to look for potassium, and then get to the question.

Got completely obliterated, shnockered, drunk, blitzed, hammered... whatever you want to call it on Sunday. (- save the speech, it's not a normal occurrence.) Woke up on Monday morning realizing I blacked out some of the night, but not feeling too bad. Matter of fact, I thought it would be good to sweat it out at the gym.
So, I forced myself to workout. I didn't have one of my best gym days, but it wasn't too bad either. I drank mostly spirits and not a lot of beer. Beer usually gives me a ridiculous amount of energy the next day. I digress...
I ran 5 miles and then worked chest, tris, and core.
I drank plenty of water to rehydrate (about a gallon, which is fairly standard for me anyway).

Last night I cramped up something fierce like I never have before. Right quad, left calf, and my jaw... they stuck around for a while, eased off and then came back a few times through the evening and while in my sleep. I rehydrated all day and took muti-vitamins and B complex, but apparently that wasn't enough.
This morning I woke up and the cramping is still pretty bad. Didn't stop me from working out, but got me to the store to buy some Potassium which I understand helps with cramping.

I eat low carb, so not eating bananas for Potassium.

So, the question...
The bottle says Potassium Asporotate. There were 3 brands of potassium available and they all had the same amount of active potassium - 99mg.
Serving is 1 capsule per day for 3% of my daily value.

1 cap per day and only 3% of the daily value? Am I missing something here? Can I take more?

Also while I'm here, any suggestions for natural potassium sources on a Low Carb way of eating?

Thanks - R

[MidwestBeast]

You can take plenty of potassium. And yeah, it sucks that they're only 99mg caps. It's not the cheapest method, but when I've delt with cramps from E/C on a keto diet, I was taking probably 8 caps or so a day (citrate is more expensive than gluconate, at least when i was researching). As far as an alternative to bananas - I don't know of one.

[rxp1997]

Poseidon was awesome for cramps....

[AtomStrange]

Thanks Midwest - so the dose recommendation on the bottle of 1 tablet per day is severely underrated then, correct? I wonder why they don't have higher doses. I'll start dosing higher, at least for the next few days.

rxp - looks like Poseidon is no longer on the market, but provided 350mg of Potassium - 10% of the daily.

I always figured potassium was a more important part of the diet, especially amongst athletes. I'd really like more information on it.

[Rodja]

There is a regulation on K to have 99mg as the maximum. Too much potassium can lead to arrhythmia.

OP, why not just eat up on some fruit to replace the electrolytes that you lost from drinking? I know that you eat low carb, but you've already ingested a crap load of non-essential calories. It makes more sense to get what you need from food than supplements.

[AtomStrange]

Hi Rodja,

I know what you mean about just getting the potassium from fruits and such, but I've been under 30 grams of carbs for 5 weeks (most days under 20) and I'm not ready to introduce carbs again just for a day. It really throws my system off and causes the carb cravings all over again.

You mentioned 99mg as the maximum, yet the label is saying it's only 3% of the daily. That's where I'm confused I guess...

[Rodja]

99mg=3% of DV

[AtomStrange]

99mg=3% of DV

right, and in your post above I thought you said there's a regulation to have 99mg as the daily maximum. So my daily maximum is only 3% of the daily value?
Maybe I'm being daft here...

[Rodja]

Supplements are only allowed to have that per tablet. I have no clue as to where that precise amount started, but that is why the amount is so low in supplements.