Supplementing: Blood Sugar and Kidney values.

I'm a chronic afibber. My new MD (orthomolecular endocrinologist) finds my blood sugar, BUN and Uric acid a little high.
Blood sugar 110 mg/dl (Lab ref: 82-115)
[Previous (March 2015) values: Blood Sugar 94 mg/dl / HbA1C 6.1% / HbA1C (IFCC) 43 mmol/mol]
Haven't repeated the HbA1C test.
BUN 40 mg/dl (Lab ref: 17-49)
Uric Acid 5.7 mg/dl (Lab ref: 2.4 - 5.7)
I'm tall, too thin, have low blood pressure, MVP and my most recent cholesterol is pretty low:
LDL 95 mg/dl HDl 62 mg/dl and Total 169 mg/dl.
This MD now prescribes one capsule at breakfast:
Tryptophan 2mg / Mg aspartate 300 mg / GABA 100 mg / Crataegus (Hawthorn) 100 mg
and
1 g twice a day of Potassium bicarbonate (powder)
I'm reading Rosedale and David Mendosa to become acquainted with diabetes and diet to deal with the blood sugar issue.
My questions:
Are the BUN or the other values of concern for supplementing with magnesium?
and
Should I go ahead with 2 g of Potassium bicarbonate a day considering I've read plenty here about having to stabilize magnesium first?
And I've seen some concern with low blood pressure and mag supplementing in different posts but am swamped momentarily by the blood sugar issue.

As so many others, I really appreciate all the assistance and care that is given here,
ginny

Tryptophan 2mg - seems very low for this

From Ron Rosedale MD:
Bun (Blood Urea Nitrogen) BUN is a common blood test that measures for urea nitrogen, a product of protein metabolism. When you eat protein, it is broken down into nitrogen-containing amino acids. The nitrogen is removed and combined with other molecules to produce urea, which eventually makes its way to the kidneys where it is eliminated in the urine. If kidney function is compromised, BUN levels rise above the normal range of 7 to 25 mg/ dL. Although this test is routinely used to evaluate kidney function, I use it to monitor my patients’ protein intake. The average BUN hovers around 18– 22 mg/ dL. If a person is eating too much protein, his or her BUN will be in the upper range of normal. A common mistake people make as they adjust to the Rosedale Diet is eating too much protein. This is easy to do since fat and protein are often found in the same foods, and many assume that if they’re following other low carb/ high-fat diets, they’re okay. (In reality, many “high-fat diets” such as the Atkins diet are really high-protein diets.) A key principle of the Rosedale Diet is moderate, not high, intake of protein. Regular monitoring of BUN can help ensure dietary compliance. BUN: 17 mg/ dL optimal; up to 21 mg/ dL acceptable; more than 21 mg/ dL high.

Rosedale M.D., Ron; Carol Colman (2009-10-13). The Rosedale Diet (pp. 179-180). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.

Uric Acid Uric acid is a breakdown product of the metabolism of purines, which are produced in the body (they are the building blocks of DNA and RNA) and are found in the diet most abundantly in fish, shellfish, turkey, and some types of meat. When there is an overproduction of uric acid or an inability of the kidneys to excrete it, uric acid levels build up in the blood. Until recently, elevated levels of uric acid were associated only with gout. Chronically high concentrations of uric acid can collect in the tissues and form sharp crystals in the joint fluid, causing the intense pain and swelling characteristic of gout. However, research over the past few years has determined that high levels of uric acid are also found in individuals with high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, diabetes, and weight problems— all signs and symptoms of leptin and insulin resistance. In one large study, increased uric acid levels were found to be highly predictive of increased risk of death from heart attack or stroke. You would do well to keep your uric acid level within the normal range of 3 to 7 mg/ dL. And no, you don’t have to curtail your intake of purine-rich foods, which has been recommended to patients with gout for years. The Rosedale Diet is a much surer path to lowering uric acid levels than the hopelessly outdated low-purine diet. Uric acid: 3 to 7 mg/ dL normal; more than 7 mg/ dl high.

Rosedale M.D., Ron; Carol Colman (2009-10-13). The Rosedale Diet (pp. 180-181). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.

All your values argue for a lower carb diet in my non-medical opinion (or in my more emphatic mode a very low carb, high fat diet (see <[www.afibbers.org] ). You don't list your triglycerides, but they are likely very low, too.

In my personal experience of taking buckets of mag (3+g/day for years), I've not seen a low blood pressure issue. I got it taken before donating blood a few days ago and it was 104/68. This is typical, though might drop to 100/60 at home. I've lived in this range for years and have no issues with orthostatic hypotension.

An exercise might be to get a glucometer (my T1 diabetic friends say the Bayor Contour Next is pretty accurate and has fairly inexpensive strips on eBay) and see what happens to your blood sugar an hour after eating various meals. Figure out what is spiking your blood sugar remove or significantly reduce quantities.

George

Thank you, George.
The Tryptophan 2mg is because some years ago this same MD gave me a higher dose of it with other supplements and she believes that is what affected me to the point I couldn't leave the sofa for 3 hours, and when in the street I had to look for a place to sit down. I thought at the time, it was low blood pressure but she believes it was a higher dose than this of tryptophan. She agrees with my not wanting to take bisoprolol because of the low blood pressure.

quoting Rosedale: "If kidney function is compromised, BUN levels rise above the normal range of 7 to 25 mg/ dL. Although this test is routinely used to evaluate kidney function, I use it to monitor my patients’ protein intake."

I forgot to include my liver values, also slightly high for enzymes and *low* (I was asked if I was vegetarian) for protein:
ASAT 54 UI/L (Lab ref: 9-36) ALAT 46 UI/L (Lab ref: 10-28) and
Total Serum Protein 5.93 g/dl (lab ref: 6.40-8.30)

So I'm wondering if the kidney function (BUN 40 mg/dl) is of concern for supplementing.

Rosedale: "high levels of uric acid are also found in individuals with high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, diabetes, and weight problems— all signs and symptoms of leptin and insulin resistance"

but I have low blood pressure, low cholesterol, and the opposite of "weight problems".
For the uric acid I've started taking 1 tsp of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water, but I've also read that slightly more than that, e.g. more than 3 tsp can affect potassium.

Going through the Rosedale and Mendosa "Food Allowed and to be avoided lists", there isn't all that much room for me to change, except for quitting on fruit and ditching beets, chickpeas and winter squash. I eat "organic", different greens, sprouts, don't use sugar. I don't eat any bread, pasta, or rice of any kind and this for several years now.
This is why I'm puzzled.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/22/2016 11:31PM by Ginny51.

Ginny:

Do you drink enough water? My bun has always been on the higher side, my doc. believes it is because I don't drink enough water. I do eat a high protein diet, lots of veggies and fruit, not very much carbs.

Liz

Thank you Liz,
The elusive obvious, no? Will pay more attention. tks.