Will potassium supplements treat fatigue in an athlete?
Posted January 3rd, 2007 at 12:00 PM by Hariz Siddiqui
Section: Nutrition, Supplements, Health & Fitness
Tiredness and cramps in athletes can have many causes, but lack of potassium in their diets is not one of them. Many years ago, Dave Costill of Ball State University tried to create potassium deficiency in runners. He couldn’t do it because potassium is found in all foods except refined sugar, and his athletes would not stay on a diet that consisted only of hard candy.
The kidneys and sweat glands conserve potassium so well that you don’t lose much. If an athlete develops potassium deficiency, it is usually caused by drugs, such as diuretics or corticosteroids, or by diarrhea or repeated vomiting.
Some athletes try to control their weight by making themselves vomit. This is called bulimia, and the person usually denies vomiting. Their physicians can prove that they are vomiting by ordering blood and urine tests. If blood levels of potassium are low and urine levels are high, vomiting is a likely cause.
Get a work-up for other causes of chronic tiredness. If none can be found, you may overtraining and should talk to your coach or a personal trainer about changing your workouts.
This post is written by Dr. Gabe Mirkin, M.D.. Dr. Mirkin is board certified in Sports Medicine and has practiced for over 40 years. He has completed more than 40 marathons and was a talk show host of a nationally-syndicated radio program for about 25 years. For more articles by Dr. Mirkin, please check out: www.DrMirkin.com
***Note: We encourage EVERYONE to see a doctor before altering their diet, taking a supplement and/or performing athletic, fitness or other strenuous physical activity. It is your responsibility to evaluate the accuracy, completeness and usefulness of any information, instruction, opinion or advice contained in the content. Please also see our complete disclaimer.***
Tags: blood test, bulimia, corticosteroids, diuretics, over training, overtraining, potassium, potassium deficiency, potassium supplements, supplements, urine test, vomiting, weight
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