# COMPETITIVE BODYBUILDING - POWERLIFTING - ATHLETICS & SPORTS > COMPETITIVE BODYBUILDING Q & A >  For the people about to do a show and take diuretic.

## MIKE_XXL

For all of you guys out there that are competing soon and are going to use diuretics, here is a little something about potassium replacement. As we all know diuretics can cause potassium excretion from your body, especially non-potassium sparing once like Lasix, Diamox; and the alike (I will be using Lasix for my up coming show). So how should we be dealing with potassium loss, well too much is just as dangerous as to little. Normally your body looses 20mEQ of Potassium per 1 liter of urine. So from the start of our diuretic regiment we need to measure every urination with a measuring cup. 39 mg of potassium equals 1 mEQ of potassium being replaced in your body. So if you urinate 0.125 of a liter you need to replace 2.5 mEQ of potassium by taking in 97.5 mg of potassium (39 mg times 2.5 mEQ equals 97.5 mg of potassium) I would just take 100 mg.


To sum it up:

1 liter of urine = 20 mEQ lost = 780 mg of potassium to replace the loss

0.5 liter of urine = 10 mEQ lost = 390 mg of potassium to replace the loss

0.25 liter of urine = 5 mEQ lost = 195 mg of potassium to replace the loss

0.125 liter of urine = 2.5 mEQ lost = 98 mg of potassium to replace the loss

Cramping is not just caused just by lack of potassium, but by electrolyte imbalance. So what I suggest is to take some magnesium, as well, I prefer Maalox tablet through out the day. I would not recommend cutting out sodium totally from your carb up either, because you need certain amount of sodium in lower intestine to absorb the carbs efficiently. You need some sodium in your body to achieve ¾ compensation in the first 24 hours and most people do a 3 day carb up which is already not that much time for the carbohydrate super-compensation required, just dont add any salt to your food and you should be ok. Once you get dry and you think you are ready for the show I suggest replacing any water that is lost through the urination, because at that point most likely its intracellular fluid coming out of your muscle. I know that is hard to swallow and I will not drink any water, but for you more daring it might be an idea once you are totally dried up. I will be Drinking 250-500 ml of water mixed with 60 ml. of Glycerol first thing in the morning the day of my show and that will be the only water consumed by me.

Well I hope that helps some of you guys out there and good luck.

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## silverfox

Good advice, especially on the salt. Last time i didn't have enought salt and could dry up. Well one of my problems. Also slow K is good potassium sups, it's OTC here in canada, just be careful too much potassium combine with too much lasix has been know to stop your heart, especially slow K , but it very effective compare to on the self stuff. They gave me a hard time about buying it, but in end gave in.

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## mchshz

how to use Lasix??
i am thinking about using it,before my contest.
thanx :Welcome:

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## wannabe

is the key to not having to use direutics. i know you do this xxl but to be honest flirting with lasix and stuff can hurt you more then it helps like spilling over. people who actually use them and really didnt need them. i learned that the hard way. thinking oh yeah if i take this it will make me drier and ernded up making me look like shit. so for the most part if you discontinue your water holding test like three weeks before a show you shouldnt have to use them. but i do understand some folks stay on the test up to the day of and need diuretics to clear them of the unecessary water.

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## MIKE_XXL

Hey wannabe, i know the diet is very important and believe me when i say that is already taken care off...however some of us have a tendency to retain water no matter what and I am just one of those people, I have used arimidex along with Fina and Winstrol before and still had to use diuretics because my skin is just naturally a little bit puffy. But other then that you have a valid and good point. Thanks Bro.

mchshz, i will use it only friday before my show, i will take 40mg at noon and 40 mg at 6:00 pm and after that it will depend on how i look, and that will dicide if i take it again in the morning, i am hoping i won't have to do that. And of course i have to make my weight class so , if i am over more lasix is coming my way.

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## Kid Shred

Just a quick question Mike, when you start takin' the lasix at noon on Friday, do you still cut the water intake out that day as well?

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## MIKE_XXL

I drink half of what i urinate untill 4:00 pm and then cut it out.

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## Dr. Derek

good post mike, I used lasix a few times before and it makes me flat. So until I learn how to cope with this I'll stick to Aldactone and dyazide. but I've save this post to add to my research thanks bro-

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## silverfox

Hey Dr. going same route as you this time aldactone 100mg day starting monday and using some very similar to dyazide, same family just different brand. My plan was to take the second zide on friday around 4pm and then again sat, moring, but been reading that I maybe should start it sooner, any thoughts?

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## Dr. Derek

I have done it the exact same way your doing it. I usually start aldactone 5 days out 50mgs up to 125mg and use dyazide the last 24 to 36 hours depending on how I look.

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## MIKE_XXL

I am going to bump it up as i hear a lot of questions on this issue...BUMP...XXL

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