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Urine Specific Gravity, Inosine, electrolytes, POTS

Jenny TipsforME

Jenny TipsforME

Senior Member
Messages
1,184
Location
Bristol
I've just started taking Inosine this week. I'm being very cautious. First day just swish and spit, then 1/2 tablet. I haven't noticed anything good or bad immediately (although possibly maybe it helped me fight an actual cold).

Inosine is discussed on other threads. I'm interested because:

1) effects immune system eg away from th2 dominance (summising I have this problem)
2) it's meant to help mitochondrial function
3) I read it's a vasoconstrictor (helpful for POTS concrete legs?)
4) the generic form is affordable
5) I can order online and don't have to go through stress of persuading a doctor

Since I read it could increase uric acid and cause kidney stones though, as a side effect, I thought it would be wise to monitor my urine. I already have dip sticks so this is easy. My Specific Gravity is on the high edge of normal 1.030 and ph is 6. This was same before starting inosine.

Do any of you know about this area? I have POTS so I wonder if SG on high side because I'm over compensating with electrolytes? Or I'm dehydrated because peeing too much? I noticed elsewhere on the forum that we'd expect to have low SG. Would it relate to greater likelihood of kidney stones?
 
MeSci

MeSci

ME/CFS since 1995; activity level 6?
Messages
8,231
Location
Cornwall, UK
Jenny TipsforME said:
I've just started taking Inosine this week. I'm being very cautious. First day just swish and spit, then 1/2 tablet. I haven't noticed anything good or bad immediately (although possibly maybe it helped me fight an actual cold).

Inosine is discussed on other threads. I'm interested because:

1) effects immune system eg away from th2 dominance (summising I have this problem)
2) it's meant to help mitochondrial function
3) I read it's a vasoconstrictor (helpful for POTS concrete legs?)
4) the generic form is affordable
5) I can order online and don't have to go through stress of persuading a doctor

Since I read it could increase uric acid and cause kidney stones though, as a side effect, I thought it would be wise to monitor my urine. I already have dip sticks so this is easy. My Specific Gravity is on the high edge of normal 1.030 and ph is 6. This was same before starting inosine.

Do any of you know about this area? I have POTS so I wonder if SG on high side because I'm over compensating with electrolytes? Or I'm dehydrated because peeing too much? I noticed elsewhere on the forum that we'd expect to have low SG. Would it relate to greater likelihood of kidney stones?
Click to expand...

Urine specific gravity usually correlates roughly with urine osmolality, which is a value more commonly measured by doctors, at least in the UK. Variation can be due to a wide range of causes, and spot-checks don't tell you a great deal. A 24-hour sample would be more informative, especially if compared to serum osmolality, which may help to reveal whether or not someone is failing to control levels of certain electrolytes or other solutes, but you'd also need to figure out which ones are not being controlled, which will require other measurements.

I give a formula for converting specific gravity to osmolality on this page (in the comments section below the blogpost).

This page discusses osmolality and related issues.
 
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