Potassium-Sparing diuretics prevent the excretion of Potassium and force the excretion of sodium and water through the kidneys. In the previous post, we covered Lasix, the most commonly used loop diuretic, and in today’s post, we will be taking a look at Aldactone, the go-to potassium-sparing diuretic for bodybuilders.
What is Aldactone?
Aldactone (also known as Spironolactone) is an orally-active diuretic that is prescribed for the treatment of high blood pressure in people with water retention and fluid build-up resulting from heart, liver, or kidney disease.
How Aldactone Works
Unlike loop diuretics like Lasix, Aldactone does not flush out potassium and instead spares it. This means that it will cause less side effects, but it also means that it will be less effective.
Benefits of Aldactone
- Decreases water retention and puffiness.
- Lowers blood pressure levels.
- Brings out striations and muscle hardness by getting rid of subcutaneous water.
- Fights edemas.
- Does not cause as big of an electrolyte imbalance as Lasix (due to the sparing of potassium).
Side Effects of Aldactone
- Dehydration.
- Dizziness.
- High potassium levels.
- Muscle weakness.
- Irregular heartbeats.
- Constant need to urinate.
- Hypotension (if blood pressure gets too low).
How to Use Aldactone
Lasix takes about 15 minutes to kick in and has a half-life of approximately 1.5 hours. It’s usually dosed at 100mg/day, divided into 4 doses of 25mg taken every 3-4 hours each.
Since it will cause you to lose electrolytes, take Magnesium, Sodium, and Calcium with it if you feel cramps, dizziness, or other side effects resulting from electrolyte imbalance, but try to avoid foods rich in potassium.
As with Lasix, I would not recommend using Aldactone JUST to deal with water retention, hypertension, and puffiness. If you just want to get rid of those side effects, you should stick to a natural diuretic like Dandelion Root. Aldactone is best used for contest/photoshoot prep, when one is already extremely lean and looking to get rid of the last layer of subcutaneous water.
Conclusion
If I had to choose between Lasix and Aldactone, I’d opt for the latter any day of the week, even though it’s less powerful and effective.
