I’m diagnosed having Congestive Heart Failure. I’m taking
40mg lasix. I’m told to take potassium once a day. How much potassium should I
take and are there any other natural supplements I should consider?
The minimum dose of potassium is usually 99mg but I would
check with your prescribing doctor for specific recommendations about potassium
supplementation. Most people taking a
loop diuretic like Lasix should take some type of potassium supplement or
increase potassium rich foods in their diet.
Tomato and vegetable juices are very high in potassium as is coconut
water.
More importantly, you may want to consider some other very
supportive natural supplements for congestive heart failure.
Dr. Sinatra, MD is a cardiologist who has focused much of
his career on using natural supplements to support cardiovascular health. There are three well know nutrients that are
very helpful for aiding healthy heart muscle function and greatly improving
congestive heart failure. These
recommendations should be done in addition to any medications or procedures prescribed
by your cardiologist and it is always best to inform your doctor about any new
supplements you are taking.
CoQ10
This widely known supplement for cardiovascular health first
made a splash in the natural health field for its ability to reverse congestive
heart failure. As you know, there are
not many treatments for this sometimes debilitating condition leaving many
people at a complete loss for a solution.
Doctors started recommending high doses of CoQ10 (300-600mg/day) to
people with congestive heart failure because CoQ10 plays a key role in our
muscles ability to produce energy. In
congestive heart failure, the heart muscle has become weak and
ineffective. This nutrient supports the
heart’s muscles, and can greatly improve efficiency and strength of each
contraction. Complete resolution and
dramatic shrinkage of enlarged hearts is not an uncommon thing to see in
congestive heart failure patients given high doses of CoQ10.
D-Ribose:
Ribose is a naturally occurring 5 carbon sugar that plays a
crucial role in the production of energy in every cell. Due to the extreme energy load the heart is
under, increasing energy stores to the heart muscle can make a significant
impact on its strength and contractility.
I have personally seen patients with congestive heart failure who can
barley walk ten steps be able to walk a half mile after taking ribose for only
a few weeks. It has also shown
significant benefit for other conditions characterized by low energy stores in
the muscles like chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia. A typical dose of D-ribose is 3-5gram 2-3x
per day.
Acetyl L Carnitine:
Carnitine is natural compound that helps to transport free
fatty acids into the mitochondrial powerhouses of our cells. When free fatty acids enter our mitochondria
our body turns them into powerful energy molecules like ATP. Again, this supplement supports healthy
cardiovascular function by supplying an ample amount of energy to the hardest
working muscle in our body. Acetyl-L
Carnitine is usually given in a dose of 500-1000mg per day.
This triad of supplements ensures that your heart muscles
have an increased energy store which is a critical part of recovering from
congestive heart failure. None of them
have any known side effects or major interactions with prescription medications. CoQ10 can theoretically act as a mild blood
thinner so if you are taking a prescription blood thinning medication like
Plavix, Warfarin, Coumadin or Heparin discuss using CoQ10 with your doctor
first.
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