How much sodium, potassium and magnesium should I have on a ketogenic diet?

In short, 3000–5000 mg of sodium and 3000–4000 mg of potassium on average are needed as part of a well-formulated ketogenic diet. For sodium and potassium (aka electrolytes), rather than trying to track them directly (which is frustrating at best), we recommend salting food to taste, adding 2 grams of sodium as broth or bouillon, and eating 5 servings of non-starchy vegetables daily.

For magnesium, 300–500 mg is an initial recommendation. Muscle cramps are our best indicator of depletion, and to replenish one’s intracellular magnesium, we generally recommend 3 tabs per day of Slow-Mag or the generic slow-release equivalent for 3–6 weeks.

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