Feedback on Supplements

I've been taking the supplements listed below for several years which have worked well for me, but recently I had stopped and after a couple months my a-fib began occurring weekly. I've starting taking them again, though it might take some time to catch-up.

Do you have any suggestions for modifying the supplements I'm taking? Some notes:

- The Thorne multivitamin contains 150mg Magnesium (90mg Magnesium Citrate and 60mg Magnesium Malate), so along with the Magnesium Glycinate I'm getting around 270mg twice a day. In the past I've also used Doctor's Best or KAL Magnesium Glycinate, often taking two capsules twice a day.

- I've been cautious with Potassium, taking only a half-teaspoon most of the time, due to also being on a low dose of Losartan, a potassium sparing drug to protect my kidneys (I have IGA Nephropathy). I at times will take a full teaspoon of Potassium, especially if I'm having an afib episode or feel one coming on. In the past, I was on a combo pill of Losartan & HCTZ (potassium sparing & potassium depleting) which wreaked havoc on my potassium levels; I think most of the time the HCTZ won out, depleting my potassium levels. Actually, my first afib episode occurred after being on Losartan/HCTZ for a while and being on a low carb diet (depleting more potassium). I can often correlate afib episodes to low potassium or high sodium levels.

- I've been considering upping the Magnesium, Potassium, and Taurine to three times a day.

- Yes, I've shared my list of supplements with my EP, Nephrologist, and GP. Though potassium supplementation usually scares doctors at first, when I ask them if they'd be ok if I had a cup of low-sodium V8 a day which contains more potassium, they concede that it shouldn't be a problem.

Here's my list of supplements:

Twice a Day
Magnesium Glycinate (Pure Encapsulations) - 120mg
Potassium Gluconate (Now Foods) ~300mg
Taurine (Now Foods) - 1000mg
L-Carnitine (Now Foods) - 1000mg
Thorne Basic Nutrients V (Thorne Research)
Super EPA (Thorne Research) - 425 mg EPA& 270 mg DHA

Once a Day:
Losartan - 25mg
Aspirin - 81mg
Ubiquinol CoQ10 (Jarrow Formulas) - 100mg
Alpha Lipoic Acid (Now Foods) - 250mg
Vitamin D3 (Pure Encapsulations) 5000IU
Vitamin E (Now Foods) - 400IU
Vitamin K2 MK4/MK7 (Innovix Labs) - 500mcg/100mcg
Potassium Iodide (Pure Encapsulations) - 225mcg
D-Ribose (Doctor's Best) ~2g
Probiotic (Natren) 30 billion CFU

Any feedback is appreciated!

Mark

Hello MarkF786... As you have indicated, with your kidney problem, you are mindful of sodium and potassium intake... and I would assume you have also been cautioned about limited protein intake as well so as not to overburden the kidneys.

If you continue to do as you are, using small amounts of potassium to help balance out sodium, it should definitely be beneficial for the AF situation as well. The body actually only needs very small amounts of sodium - best obtained from natural food sources... (not added in food prep or preserving practices). That way you can benefit from the preferred ratio of more potassium than sodium (4:1) which reflects in better control over heart rhythm. I understand your dilemma when dealing with nephrologists on the topic of taking supplemental potassium... (or even magnesium).

Since the rule for potassium and magnesium supplementing always includes the caution... not to use in those with kidney impairment, I would proceed very carefully with your plan to increase those supplements. If you decide to increase, don't do all at the same time so if something changes, you know which to blame.

Jackie

Jackie,

Thanks for the feedback. My nephrologist hasn't been too concerned about my intake of potassium, magnesium, protein, etc. At this point, my renal function isn't a problem - though in time IgA nephropathy can progress to kidney failure in a percentage of people with the disease.

I do restrict sodium, never adding it to foods and avoiding salty foods most of the time. One strange thing is salty foods actually create a burning feeling in my mouth that can last for hours. I suspect it may be due to the high potassium/sodium ratio.

On a side note, I had been taking Rhodiola Rosea for a while (for reasons other than afib) and also recently stopped that. I'm considering taking it again, based on the findings of its benefits with preventing arrhythmias.

Mark

Hi Mark - Excellent that your nephrologist is okay with adding those electrolytes since it can certainly make a difference with your heart... plus overall. That's great!

In my response, I should have also added that it's extremely important to have a focus on preventing inflammation.... as measured by high sensitivity C-Reactive Protein testing. Inflammation causes many ailments and certainly is involved in heart irritation as well. Consider adding a high-quality, pure, molecularly distilled Omega E essential fatty acid to your regimen... ie, Nordic Naturals or Carlson's... among the top brands. It helps keep blood platelets slippery along with inflammation. There are other nutrients as well, but Omega 3's should always be a part of one's regular intake.... at least 3 grams daily unless you're on an anticoagulant and then that has to be adjusted slightly.

Rhodiola is among my favorite herbals for supporting the adrenals and helping to cope with stress. Life can be stressful enough and then adding Afib to it, puts a great strain on the adrenal glands. Rhodiola falls in the class of adaptogens meaning that it has a nonspecific ability to assist the body to withstand stress and maintain normalcy even when threatened with pathological conditions.

I also failed to mention that you might find the use of the alkalizing magnesium bicarbonate concentrate which you can make at home and add to your (pure) drinking water. It has an extensive history of providing unique benefits to humans and animals and for afibbers, it provides an economical, easy and efficient way to get a highly absorbable form of magnesium. If you haven't discovered that topic here... it's also referenced as WW or Waller Water.
Start here:
[www.afibbers.org]
If you do an advanced search, there is an abundance of posts on the topic since we've been using it since around 2003 - with great results.

Jackie