High Potassium Level
Ok guys some help and advice please. I just got some blood test results (renal panel and liver function tests) over the phone. Liver function test are all fine but renal panel shows some issues especially potassium. Here are the numbers:
Potassium: 5.8 (range 3.5 - 5.1)
UREA 8.7 (range 1.7 - 8.3)
CREA 116 (range 66 - 112)
This was taken on a Friday morning at 9am after a heavy legs session in the gym. I'm on a twice a day training program at the moment so it's end of week for me (not sure if it's relevant).
I'm currently on cycle of 750mg test e per week and 50mg per day Proviron. I have been taking a potassium supplement with 400mg posttasium gluconate per day. I wouldn't normally worry about the slightly elevated UREA number or the elevated CREA number but that Potassium level is really worrying me given the potential cardio impacts of elevated potassium. I drink about 6 litres of water a day so I am generally well hydrated but given when the rest was taken its possible I may have been slightly dehydrated at that time.
Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated and do let me know if any additional information is needed.
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IfbbmoeIf you are worried then stop the potassium supplement that is probably the problem. It doesn't seem like your potassium is that high. I think it'd go back to a normal level after a week or two off it
Actually over 6 is considered a "medical emergency" and would normally require admission to hospital for management to reduce levels - particularly in someone with no previous history of renal imaprement/kidney damage. My doc is totally freaked out by this and I am a bit too. The only comfort is the amount of potassium I've been supplementing with and the timing of taking the supplements relative to when the bloods were drawn could be the reason for the elated levels. I'm off all non dietary potassium now and am been retested in a week. If it's not below 5 then I need to have more investigations done as it could show early stage renal failure or kidney damage. This is why blood testing is so important although in this case if it is not the supplement causing the elbayed levels and it is my kidneys this is unlikely to be caused by aas use.
Hold K supplement...
Continue water intake and increase 2 litres water..
Thanks. K supplement dropped and will get water up to 8 litres per day. Re-testing on the 18th fasted and not having trained immediately before. Holding thumbs it's come down to within range.
K...no pun intended...
Lol. Further investigation on my part has now shown that my BCAA drink - which I take twice a day - has 350mg of potassium in it. So that gives me a total amount of supplemented potasium of 1100mg per day. My bet is that is enough to push the blood serum levels into the high range and is of concern. So I've cut that out too (I don't really need it on cycle anyway I just like the taste). Let's see after the next blood test.
This is why it's important to blood test and then think hard about what exogenously may be causing the issue. I hope I'm right and it normalises.
Agreed...i had to do same thing with calcium..
Here's something interesting my research turned up. Hawthorn Berry has been known to raise blood serum potassium levels. I take 500mg per day in a "cycle support" supplement I take on cycle. I'm going to drop this too now then if levels normalise I'll reintroduce and retest. I'll keep you posted if your interested.