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I Am Experiencing Negative Side Effects After Supplementing Potassium Gluconate

Messages
75
Location
London
Hi everyone,

Almost a week ago, I tried Now Food's Potassium Gluconate for the first time, and I can swear to you that almost 10 minutes later, my brain fog got ridiculously worse. Generally, my brain fog is always annoying but, thanks to methylation, and other supplements, I can almost get by, but now, that my brain fog has worsened because of the potassium gluconate, I cannot even do any logical thinking, when beforehand, I could do it if I really tried but, now, I can't even begin to try because whenever I do, it is almost feels like my brain is jammed. I know this may not make sense but, I am super foggy that I can't even elaborate on the subject properly :(

Anywho, I am wondering if anyone has experienced what was similar to what I am experiencing now when having supplemented potassium gluconate?
 

drob31

Senior Member
Messages
1,487
Do you know your serum sodium and potassium levels?

Have you tried ingesting the same amount of potassium through foods?
 

Martial

Senior Member
Messages
1,409
Location
Ventura, CA
The only affect I could think of is you dosed too high on potassium while not covering other electrolytes, ie. (Salt, Magnesium), now of course the salt doesn't need to be too high but none at all can be an issue and cause low blood pressure. Magnesium though has a direct relationship and taking too much of potassium or magnesium alone causes secretion of the other as it holds to the potassium and or magnesium.
 
Messages
75
Location
London
Hi @drob31 and @Martial, I have never measured my potassium and sodium levels but, here's the thing, I have been supplementing potassium/sodium for over 2 years successfully through the use of Reduced Sodium Salt, which has 66% of potassium and 44% of sodium. The reason I decided to try the gluconate form is that I realised that the salt had anti-caking agents that I no longer want to ingest because whenever I would take it, it would always irritate my throat.

Two weeks beforehand, I switched to taking Celtic Sea Salt instead but, then noticed after a week that my muscles started to feel a lot more sore than usual, and then realised that I may not have been getting enough potassium from the Celtic Sea Salt alone so, that's when I decided to buy the gluconate form of potassium. Having trying it only once, I never took it again. However, I ordered the chloride form instead, as that was the form of potassium that was used in the Reduced Sodium Salt. The potassium chloride arrived days later, and I have been supplementing this form, and as well as the Celtic Sea Salt, and within days, my muscles started to feel much better.

As for the dosage taken in regards to the potassium gluconate, I only took 1/4 of a teaspoon which amounted to approximately 270mg worth of potassium. To also mention that I also supplement 100mg of chelated magnesium, twice daily.

Personally, I believe it is the gluconate molecule itself that messed me up, rather than the potassium bounded to it but, I am only guessing :)

Also, thank you for both responding to my cry for help :)
 

Martial

Senior Member
Messages
1,409
Location
Ventura, CA
If you had a magnesium deficiency then 200mg a day in supplemental form would not really correct it, especially seeing as how there is an increased amount of dietary potassium. It could be the gluconate but it would be much less likely compared to a possible micro mineral imbalancing. I mean at least from the type of symptoms you mentioned anyways.

If you don't have any underlying medical conditions affecting the kidneys and get your doctors okay first, I would try doing at least 600mg transdermal magnesium a day for a bit of time and see if that really gets things moving. I use sometimes up to 1000mg of transdermal magnesium a day and keep it spread throughout the day instead of at once. Oral Magnesium can cause a lot of G.I. side effects above doses in the 400mg range though. Also keep in mind the RDV for potassium is 4000mg a day. I use the same Potassium Gluconate you do I believe its by NOW brandname. I take it at least 3 times a day to really feel the effect and avoid low potassium from methylation support that I use.

Hope this helps a bit more
 

Sidereal

Senior Member
Messages
4,856
@topghetto, I don't have an explanation for why this happens but I also get the same problem if I try to supplement potassium gluconate instead of chloride. Last year I got worried about ingesting so much reduced sodium salt due to all the artificial crap that's in it but when I switched to sea or Himalayan salt + Now potassium gluconate powder I felt very sick quickly and my muscles became non-functional again. So I am tethered to Lo Salt but I figure it's better to keep taking that than be dead from hypokalemia.
 

Martial

Senior Member
Messages
1,409
Location
Ventura, CA
@topghetto, I don't have an explanation for why this happens but I also get the same problem if I try to supplement potassium gluconate instead of chloride. Last year I got worried about ingesting so much reduced sodium salt due to all the artificial crap that's in it but when I switched to sea or Himalayan salt + Now potassium gluconate powder I felt very sick quickly and my muscles became non-functional again. So I am tethered to Lo Salt but I figure it's better to keep taking that than be dead from hypokalemia.

This is pretty intriguing to me, do you guys have any possible ideas what about gluconate could be causing this?
 

Sidereal

Senior Member
Messages
4,856
If gluconate stimulates insulin release then this could actually worsen your serum potassium situation because insulin stimulates the sodium-potassium pump (Na+/K+ ATPase) which promotes intracellular uptake of potassium. So the potassium is going into cells which is cool BUT if your serum levels are on the low side to begin with (which mine always are) then that could make it even lower.

Just speculation.
 

Gondwanaland

Senior Member
Messages
5,092
insulin stimulates the sodium-potassium pump (Na+/K+ ATPase) which promotes intracellular uptake of potassium
I think this is precisely the idea behind the gluconate bond.
Don't you have negative effects from the chloride with your high uric acid?
 

Sidereal

Senior Member
Messages
4,856
I think this is precisely the idea behind the gluconate bond.
Don't you have negative effects from the chloride with your high uric acid?

I don't think so. I never had high uric acid until recently when I started taking various marine algae whereas I've been supplementing potassium chloride for years.
 
Messages
75
Location
London
If you had a magnesium deficiency then 200mg a day in supplemental form would not really correct it, especially seeing as how there is an increased amount of dietary potassium. It could be the gluconate but it would be much less likely compared to a possible micro mineral imbalancing. I mean at least from the type of symptoms you mentioned anyways.

If you don't have any underlying medical conditions affecting the kidneys and get your doctors okay first, I would try doing at least 600mg transdermal magnesium a day for a bit of time and see if that really gets things moving. I use sometimes up to 1000mg of transdermal magnesium a day and keep it spread throughout the day instead of at once. Oral Magnesium can cause a lot of G.I. side effects above doses in the 400mg range though. Also keep in mind the RDV for potassium is 4000mg a day. I use the same Potassium Gluconate you do I believe its by NOW brandname. I take it at least 3 times a day to really feel the effect and avoid low potassium from methylation support that I use.

Hope this helps a bit more

Hi, I never knew that was the case with oral magnesium. I will definitely read up on transdermal magnesium. I believe I do not have any underlying medical conditions related to kidney function but, I guess I should get my doctor's okay first but, I will most likely try it anyway. Also, thank you very much for the suggestion, and you have been of much help :)
 
Messages
75
Location
London
@topghetto, I don't have an explanation for why this happens but I also get the same problem if I try to supplement potassium gluconate instead of chloride. Last year I got worried about ingesting so much reduced sodium salt due to all the artificial crap that's in it but when I switched to sea or Himalayan salt + Now potassium gluconate powder I felt very sick quickly and my muscles became non-functional again. So I am tethered to Lo Salt but I figure it's better to keep taking that than be dead from hypokalemia.

Hi, that also sounds like the story of my life. If you ever decide to try potassium on its own again, you could try the chloride form as that seems to work fine for me but, hey, I am not a doctor :redface:

Also, @Gondwanaland and your hypothesis on gluconate pumping sounds plausible. I am never ever going to take anything that has gluconate bound to it again, aha.
 
Messages
75
Location
London
Hi all,

I am sorry to bring back an old thread but, I am quite baffled as to what is going on with my body right now. I am still feeling the side effects from the potassium gluconate that I took around 2 months ago. My brain fog has been super duper crappy, and my muscles within the centre of my forehead feel a bit tense. In a sense, the brain fog feels quite painful, if that makes sense. It's so hard to explain how I am feeling right now as my brain fog feels so crappy. The supplements (Methylcobalamin,Hydroxocobalamin, folate, Betaine HCl, chelated Magnesium, Rhodiola Rosea, and Acetyl-L-Carnitine) that I use to supplement, no longer seem to have an effect on me any more, well, a positive effect. For example, whenever I use to try supplement methylcobalamin and folate at the same time, I would get super wired but, my head would not be hurting. Whereas now, when I try to supplement the two, my head starts to hurt after the first day. Whenever something would go wrong with me when trying a new supplement, methylcobalamin/folate would always be the combo to put those side effects to a grinding halt. Before all this happened, I normally took hydroxocobalamin/folate. I am clueless as to what is going on. I also tried Ancient Minerals' Transdermal Magnesium, and sprayed it about 5 times on my body but, my brain fog/headache got even worse so, If anyone could help me out, it would so appreciated
 
Messages
75
Location
London
Aren't you taking a B complex? This could be thiamin deficiency.

I did try a B-Complex in conjunction with sublingual methycobalamin) for approximately 7 days around a month ago but, on the third day or something, my brain fog/headache got even worse. However, I did also start taking Omega 3 Fish Oil at that time too. Do you reckon I should try the B-Complex again but, this time around, without the fish oil?
 
Last edited:

Gondwanaland

Senior Member
Messages
5,092
I think if possible try each B separetely, starting low and not exceeding the recommended doses by Freddd. Occasionally you will benefit from a higher dosage of a specific B, but that is something that you will have to find out by yourself...

If you click "Uric acid" in my signature, you will see how (roughly) the Bs interact one with another in a chart I posted there.
 
Messages
75
Location
London
I think if possible try each B separetely, starting low and not exceeding the recommended doses by Freddd. Occasionally you will benefit from a higher dosage of a specific B, but that is something that you will have to find out by yourself...

If you click "Uric acid" in my signature, you will see how (roughly) the Bs interact one with another in a chart I posted there.

I will give that a shot, thank you. It will be an expensive process though, aha.

Thank you for the chart, I had already saved it onto my computer a while back :)
 

Gondwanaland

Senior Member
Messages
5,092
I will give that a shot, thank you. It will be an expensive process though, aha.

Thank you for the chart, I had already saved it onto my computer a while back :)
There is also a dance of the vitamins with minerals that you can read on "Balancing nutrients", being magnesium, potassium and zinc the main ones.
 

Gondwanaland

Senior Member
Messages
5,092
I will give that a shot, thank you. It will be an expensive process though, aha.
Even more if you try the different forms of each B vitamin as well :rolleyes: I stuck with nicotinamide for a long time and only when I tried niacin I realized that nicotinamide was bad for my uric acid :bang-head: