Lethal Lee, are there any reference materials you could suggest I read? Your post is interesting but I don't understand it well enough......your electrolyte levels, were these the levels done at a routine blood drawn requested by a primary care?
I have noticed in the hot summer months, I have a much more difficult time, and certainly the heat and humidity could deplete those electrolytes. I love sea salt. It tastes SO much better than the refined salts.
June
Serum Potassium & Sodium are simple blood tests. They usually are part of the CMP (in USA) elsewhere are part of KFT (Kidney Function Test) or called U& E (Urea & Electrolytes).
RBC Magnesium & RBC Potassium are NOT part of anything else & need to be asked for separately. Note not all Labs do RBC Minerals.
All tests should be done early am fasting & before meds & supps.
My Primary Care Doc did all my testing including Aldo & Renin & rxed rx Potassium & Sex Hormone HRT. I had to go to Hormonal Doc to get ACTH Stim testing (for Adrenal Insufficiency) she rxed Prednisolone/HC & Florinef.
Aldosterone & Renin require particular handling (particular type of tube, kept cold etc) so enquire if Lab you plan to use knows how to handle it.
Specifically
-Renin 10 mL blood in EDTA tube, transported immediately to the laboratory on melting ice
-Aldo 10 mL blood in chilled EDTA tube - plasma separated and frozen immediately.
Instructions for correctly testing Aldosterone & Renin are
-Test 8am before any supps/meds.
-Fasting food after midnight
-NO Salt supping (i.e. if you take Sea Salt daily, skip it) & NO high Salty foods (like fast food) for at least 24 hours before testing
Some sodas and bottled water also contain extra sodium, so read the labels.
-Best to test Aldosterone, Renin, Sodium & Potassium at the same time
-DO NOT LAY DOWN FOR TEST!!!!!
Need to be sitting for test and have been up & around (sitting or standing) for 2 hours beforehand
-And one note for women that are Premenopausal test during the first week of your cycle (Day 3 is ideal but close to that is fine)
because aldosterone increases during the second half of your cycle with rising Progesterone
-note cannot validly test if on meds, HRT that affect Aldosterone (eg. Diuretics, BP meds, Progesterone, Licorice, BCP's, some painkillers 2 weeks prior to testing)
-note when interpreting results for Aldosterone use Salt Fasting Ranges (low Salt), for Renin use Upright Salt Fasting Ranges
many Labs put wrong ranges on reports
Here are a few links
Water: Swelling, Tension, Pain, Fatigue, Aging
http://raypeat.com/articles/articles/water.shtml
Fluid Compartments in the Body
http://physioweb.med.uvm.edu/bodyfluids/fluid1.htm
What is Dehydration
http://www.causeof.org/dehydrate.htm#WhatIs
Sea Salt
http://www.causeof.org/salt.htm
Hydration Fluids for Life
http://www.beverageinstitute.org/healthcare_professionals/pdf/Hydration_Fluids_for_Life.pdf
Fluid & Electrolyte Metabolism
http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec12/ch156/ch156a.html
Fluid Balance
http://www.ann.com.au/MedSci/fluid.htm
Aldosterone
http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/aldosterone/
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Water Retention Salt Potassium & B6
http://www.drkaslow.com/html/adrenal_insufficiency.html
Ankle and/or Finger Swelling.
John Tintera, M.D. was an early pioneer in recognizing and treating adrenal insufficiency. He wrote that salt is a diuretic and that hypoadrenocortics (patients with low adrenal cortex function) retain fluid because the body is trying to hold onto the salt. When enough salt is consumed, the body takes what it needs and excretes the rest.
If the ankle edema is due to insufficient salt, the edema will usually disappear in three days after taking adequate salt. If it does not disappear in five to six days, potassium may also be needed.
Vitamin B6 is also helpful for edema not only because it has a diuretic effect but also supports the adrenal cortex.
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