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Hello I Have A Quick Question I Usually Watch All

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Posted on Fri, 15 Mar 2019
Twitter Fri, 15 Mar 2019 Answered on
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Question : Hello I have a quick question I usually watch all my intakes as part of s healthy eating habit today I had a bit more sodium and lower potassium is this going to affect me in any way I usually have 2500 -3000 pottasum dauky but today I only had 900
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Answered by Dr. Aaron Branch (3 hours later)
Brief Answer:
No need to worry

Detailed Answer:
Hello, I'm Dr. Branch, thanks for using Ask a Doctor. As long as your kidneys are functioning normally, you should not need to worry about changes in sodium or potassium intake from day to day. The kidneys have an amazing ability to adjust to changes of intake of these and many other electrolytes, so that if you were to take in a small amount of potassium, your kidneys will work to conserve that potassium and not excrete it as much, thus keeping the balance in your blood and cells. In fact, unless there was a problem with your kidneys or some other medical reason to monitor your intake, you shouldn't need to be so strict about watching your intake in this way.

I hope that helps, please let me know if you have any other questions about that and I would be glad to discuss it with you further. If there is a special reason for watching your intake so closely, if you would like to discuss that, I would be happy to give you my thoughts on that as well.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Nagamani Ng
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Dr. Aaron Branch

General & Family Physician

Practicing since :2011

Answered : 1196 Questions

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Hello I Have A Quick Question I Usually Watch All

Brief Answer: No need to worry Detailed Answer: Hello, I'm Dr. Branch, thanks for using Ask a Doctor. As long as your kidneys are functioning normally, you should not need to worry about changes in sodium or potassium intake from day to day. The kidneys have an amazing ability to adjust to changes of intake of these and many other electrolytes, so that if you were to take in a small amount of potassium, your kidneys will work to conserve that potassium and not excrete it as much, thus keeping the balance in your blood and cells. In fact, unless there was a problem with your kidneys or some other medical reason to monitor your intake, you shouldn't need to be so strict about watching your intake in this way. I hope that helps, please let me know if you have any other questions about that and I would be glad to discuss it with you further. If there is a special reason for watching your intake so closely, if you would like to discuss that, I would be happy to give you my thoughts on that as well.