Follow-up: Sodium, potassium and magnesium when intake drops

On the subject in the title: Sodium, potassium and magnesium when intake drops Working notes rather than a conclusion.

A hydration and intake question, with the figures, since this one is unanswerable without them.

Fluid intake over a day, roughly, plus what I take with it and when. Intake is down substantially on where it was, which I gather is the ordinary consequence of eating much less rather than anything else.

What I would like to understand is which of the symptoms attributed to this are plausibly about fluid and salt, and which are being attributed there because it is the easy explanation.

Helpful, and short, which on this subject is harder than long.

Confirming the opening post from a second method, which matters more than confirming it from a second person.

Magnesium: deficiency during weight loss is common and symptoms (fatigue, muscle cramps) are nonspecific. Supplementation is inexpensive and low-risk if needed.

A partial answer, offered because a partial answer beats none.

Very low total intake produces multiple simultaneous deficiencies rather than one, which is why single-nutrient reasoning goes wrong here.

Fluid intake and electrolyte intake are separate questions and drinking more water alone can make a dilutional problem worse.

The short version is the first sentence; the rest is why.

On post #4 — agreed on the reasoning, with one qualification.

Reduced intake reduces electrolyte intake alongside everything else, which is the mechanism behind most of what gets attributed to the compound here.

The uncertainty is in the assumption, not in the calculation.

The very ordinary causes of week-two malaise: inadequate hydration, low sodium intake, too-rapid calorie deficit, and inadequate sleep are more common causes of fatigue and malaise than compound toxicity.

Fluid intake: baseline needs increase with gastrointestinal effects and exercise. Thirst is not a reliable guide during appetite suppression. Drinking regularly (not just when thirsty) is prudent.

Fine by me. I had wanted a stronger conclusion and there is not one available.

Exercise and electrolyte losses: sweating during exercise increases sodium and potassium losses. Electrolyte replacement during or after intense exercise helps maintain balance.

It is a small point and it changes the answer, which is an awkward combination.

Following, with nothing to contribute beyond having asked the same thing elsewhere.

Symptoms attributed to electrolytes here are non-specific and overlap with dehydration, low intake and poor sleep. Attribution from symptoms alone is unreliable.

Worth checking against a second source before it gets quoted onward.

I had written a reply contradicting post #12 and deleted it. Here is what survived.

Magnesium supplementation is widely recommended in this space with very little supporting evidence for the indications it is recommended for.

Second-hand, so weight it accordingly.