This tool estimates your daily electrolyte targets and the supplementation gap you may need to fill on a carnivore or very low carb diet. When you cut carbohydrates, your body holds less water and your kidneys flush out more sodium, which pulls potassium and magnesium along with it. That shift is a common reason people feel tired, crampy, or foggy in their first weeks, often called the low carb flu. The calculator turns general educational targets into a practical daily plan.
The tool starts from widely cited daily targets for adults following low carb or carnivore diets. Sodium needs are commonly placed around 4,000 to 6,000 mg, potassium around 3,500 to 4,700 mg, and magnesium around 300 to 400 mg. It then estimates what your reported diet already supplies from meat, bone broth, and any salt or magnesium you add. The core idea is simple subtraction: your supplementation gap equals your target minus what your diet already provides. If your food covers the target, the gap is zero. If it falls short, the number that remains is roughly how much you might add through extra salt, broth, or a supplement.
Imagine a 70 kg / 154 lb adult with a sodium target of 5,000 mg per day. They add 1 teaspoon of salt, which supplies roughly 2,300 mg of sodium, and their meat contributes very little sodium on its own. Subtracting that 2,300 mg from the 5,000 mg target leaves a gap of about 2,700 mg, a little over one more teaspoon of salt spread across the day. For potassium, meat is a strong source, so a heavy meat intake may cover much of a 4,000 mg target while leaving only a modest gap.
Enter your weight, gender, and activity level, then note whether you sweat heavily and which adaptation phase you are in, since early weeks and hard sweating both raise sodium needs. Under food sources, enter your daily meat intake, cups of bone broth, teaspoons of added salt, and any magnesium supplement. The tool then shows a target range for each electrolyte and a practical guide with the remaining sodium, potassium, and magnesium gaps.
These are general educational estimates, not a personal prescription. The targets are population ranges, and your real needs shift with body size, climate, sweat rate, and how long you have been adapted. The food estimates are approximations, because the mineral content of meat and broth varies by cut and recipe. The tool cannot see your blood work, so it does not know your actual electrolyte status. Treat the output as a starting point to adjust by how you feel and, where relevant, by lab results.
Why do I need more sodium on carnivore? Low insulin levels tell the kidneys to excrete more sodium, so a diet that keeps insulin low tends to increase your daily sodium needs compared with a higher carb diet.
Can I just drink more water to fix cramps? Plain water can dilute your minerals further. Cramps and fatigue on low carb are more often about sodium, potassium, and magnesium balance than about total water volume.
Does meat alone cover my electrolytes? Meat is rich in potassium and magnesium but naturally low in sodium, which is why added salt or broth usually matters most for closing the sodium gap.
How fast should I add electrolytes? Increase gradually and spread intake across the day, and stop to reassess if anything feels off.
Disclaimer: This tool provides general educational estimates, not medical advice. Electrolyte needs vary with health conditions and medications. Anyone with kidney, heart, or blood-pressure conditions should consult a physician before changing sodium, potassium, or magnesium intake.
Sources: National Academies. Dietary Reference Intakes for Sodium (2019); NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Potassium Fact Sheet for Health Professionals