I have needed lots of potassium every time I take methylation supps. At first, healing seemed to be happening. Now, I seem just caught in a vicious cycle. I will take supps and just need more potassium than I can even take...already have gut issues and don't wish to worsen. I take approx 5-9 99mgpills with each mb12/mfolate dosage...taking 1000mcg mb12 and 4-500mcg methylfolate at a time. Any thoughts? Need progress!
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Needing too much potassium
- Thread starter Nikki7
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whodathunkit
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Potassium pills are IMO horrible "gut bombs". They tore up my stomach pretty quickly.
Powdered potassium disbursed in juice or water is easier on the stomach and how I took my supplemental potassium when I needed it. If you take it in juice or water it is more "diffuse" and doesn't sit or concentrate in one place in the stomach like pills do. I used to dissolve a small amount of powder in a shot glass with some water, "shoot" it like a shot of tequila (because potassium powder tastes nasty, and shooting it gets it over with), then I would drink a big glass of water or juice immediately afterwards to get rid of the taste and lessen the harshness of the potassium in my stomach. I could not take potassium pills, but had no trouble taking potassium this way.
Your dosages of mB12 and mfolate are still very low. The fact that you experienced healing at these low doses is probably a sign that they are beneficial to you, but to make more progress you probably need to up your dosage of both. Not everyone is able or open to doing to do this, however, so please read some of the sticky threads on methylation and do some searches to find information to make an informed decision about which course (keeping at the same dosage or moving forward) is best for you. There is tons of good information written already. But be aware that increasing dosage of both of these can increase the need for other co-factors (like zinc, magnesium, B2, etc.) and can cause more side effects if these co-factors are not properly addressed. It can get quite complex. But it can also be very worthwhile to go to the trouble.
Increasing dosage of mfolate and mB12 worked for me. I am 80-90% free of my fatigue symptoms, and I can say with surety that Freddd's protocol is the biggest part of the reason why.
But only you can decide what is right for you to do.
Good luck!
Powdered potassium disbursed in juice or water is easier on the stomach and how I took my supplemental potassium when I needed it. If you take it in juice or water it is more "diffuse" and doesn't sit or concentrate in one place in the stomach like pills do. I used to dissolve a small amount of powder in a shot glass with some water, "shoot" it like a shot of tequila (because potassium powder tastes nasty, and shooting it gets it over with), then I would drink a big glass of water or juice immediately afterwards to get rid of the taste and lessen the harshness of the potassium in my stomach. I could not take potassium pills, but had no trouble taking potassium this way.
Your dosages of mB12 and mfolate are still very low. The fact that you experienced healing at these low doses is probably a sign that they are beneficial to you, but to make more progress you probably need to up your dosage of both. Not everyone is able or open to doing to do this, however, so please read some of the sticky threads on methylation and do some searches to find information to make an informed decision about which course (keeping at the same dosage or moving forward) is best for you. There is tons of good information written already. But be aware that increasing dosage of both of these can increase the need for other co-factors (like zinc, magnesium, B2, etc.) and can cause more side effects if these co-factors are not properly addressed. It can get quite complex. But it can also be very worthwhile to go to the trouble.
Increasing dosage of mfolate and mB12 worked for me. I am 80-90% free of my fatigue symptoms, and I can say with surety that Freddd's protocol is the biggest part of the reason why.
But only you can decide what is right for you to do.
Good luck!
Last edited:
garyfritz
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@whodathunkit, what form were you taking? Potassium chloride, gluconate, ...?
Potassium chloride tastes intensely salty, but I wouldn't expect it to bother your stomach. But I don't have any trouble taking 2-3 pills at a time, so maybe your stomach is more sensitive than mine. I haven't experimented much with gluconate.
Potassium chloride tastes intensely salty, but I wouldn't expect it to bother your stomach. But I don't have any trouble taking 2-3 pills at a time, so maybe your stomach is more sensitive than mine. I haven't experimented much with gluconate.
whodathunkit
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@garyfritz: chloride, cuz it was cheap.
When I was taking pills it got to where even a couple pills would bother me. Others may have no problem with it...my gut has been frakked up for a pretty long time. In fact, I used to blame potassium for that (I first noticed gut problems long ago when taking potassium while I was on heavy induction for Atkins diet), but now I realize the potassium just precipitated symptoms but was not a root cause of my gut problems.
I was just advising Nikki of alternative methods of intake since she seems to be having problems, too. Heavy dilution of the potassium with liquid alleviated symptoms for me.
When I was taking pills it got to where even a couple pills would bother me. Others may have no problem with it...my gut has been frakked up for a pretty long time. In fact, I used to blame potassium for that (I first noticed gut problems long ago when taking potassium while I was on heavy induction for Atkins diet), but now I realize the potassium just precipitated symptoms but was not a root cause of my gut problems.
I was just advising Nikki of alternative methods of intake since she seems to be having problems, too. Heavy dilution of the potassium with liquid alleviated symptoms for me.
garyfritz
Senior Member
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OK, I wondered. I think chloride tends to be harder on the stomach. I've been using Now brand chloride powder and I basically dissolve it in water. (Actually I just pop it in my mouth and drink a glassful.) As you found, that way you don't have to worry about a pill getting stuck somewhere and burning you.
I've been meaning to get some gluconate powder. Not sure if it would work any better/worse but at least it wouldn't taste so %@#$!! salty.
I've been meaning to get some gluconate powder. Not sure if it would work any better/worse but at least it wouldn't taste so %@#$!! salty.
whodathunkit
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garyfritz
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LOL !!!
It's not gourmet cuisine fer shure, but it's just intensely salty for a few seconds. It does seem to burn on my tongue a bit more than regular sodium chloride -- which is probably an indication of why it's harder on your stomach than salt.
It's not gourmet cuisine fer shure, but it's just intensely salty for a few seconds. It does seem to burn on my tongue a bit more than regular sodium chloride -- which is probably an indication of why it's harder on your stomach than salt.
CFS_for_19_years
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Eating a potato with the skin equals 1081mg of potassium slowly dispersed into your system, no chance of causing stomach distress.
http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/high-potassium-foods-topic-overview
http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/high-potassium-foods-topic-overview
shannah
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Just a side note on potatoes. Some can't tolerate them.
Potatoes are high oxalate for those with kidney stones or watching their intake of oxalates. For some, potatoes increase yeast issues.
Potatoes are high oxalate for those with kidney stones or watching their intake of oxalates. For some, potatoes increase yeast issues.
garyfritz
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Yes, there are lots of good food sources -- 422 in a typical banana, 540 in a medium sweet potato, 490 in an avocado, 580 in 8oz of yoghurt, etc.
But I eat lots of those already. And when I wake in the night with knotted muscles, I don't want to eat a potato.
But I eat lots of those already. And when I wake in the night with knotted muscles, I don't want to eat a potato.
CFS_for_19_years
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If food sources aren't meeting your needs for potassium, then perhaps these instructions to minimize irritation would be helpful:
http://www.drug3k.com/drug/potassium-Gluconate-17968.htm#a3
Magnesium also helps your body absorb potassium, so be sure you're getting enough magnesium too.