Poll: What brand/form/dose/timing of potassium do you take? What switch to?

[Rosebud Dairy]

Poll: What brand/form/dose/timing of potassium do you take? What switch to?

Right now, I take potassium gluconate - store brand that provides 99 mg of potassium per capsule, and take 2-3 caps 4-6 times a day.

I am not sure about IBS and various forms of potassium or if I might need to increase my metafolin, and hearing your experience (even if vaguely re: IBS) would be most helpful.

Thanks all!!
RB

 

[Calathea]

Potassium chloride as part of a standard low-sodium salt. I take about 2100mg a day on top of the potassium I get in my food. The usual recommendation for potassium is 3500mg, after all. I take it as part of an electrolyte mix I make myself, which I have in herbal tea in three doses throughout the day. My potassium levels haven't been tested and I am only guessing at how much I should take, but I do seem to feel better on the electrolyte mix, particularly with regard to dizziness and low blood pressure.

 

[adreno]

Gluconate gives me diarrhea. Bicarbonate stomach pain. I prefer citrate. I take 300mg 4-6 x daily. I'm taking the Jarrow easy-solv tablets now.

 

[Seven7]

I use Pedialite 20mEg in 1 bottle, I use 1 bottle a day. I use it thorough out the day. I can do extra during crash, helps get out of it.

 

[maddietod]

I use citrate or gluconate, but I don't have major gut issues. I've been taking 500mg 3x/day, very spaced out, with water and/or food. I'm lowering that today to 400mg 3x and increasing my magnesium, as it sounds like they need each other.

 

[lolasana]

I've been using either chloride or gluconate at 99mg/tablet, both store brand. I take 3 tablets 3x/day if I don't have any low potassium symptoms. If I'm hit with low potassium symptoms (usually happens after physical or emotional stress), I then take 6-9 tablets at once. I tried to piece-meal this the first few times and I don't recommend that approach. Once I get light-headed, shaky, and my muscles are twitching, 3 tablets is just not enough. And since it takes about 40 minutes for any dose to really absorb and kick-in, it's pretty miserable to take 3, wait 40 minutes, realize it's not enough, take 3 more, wait 40 minutes...

I was nervous at first about taking potassium, but I've since convinced myself that it is pretty difficult to "overdose" on potassium. Apparently, our paleolithic ancestors were thought to ingest 11 grams/day! (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paleolithic_diet#Sodium-potassium_ratio) Some people on paleo diets claim to ingest anywhere from 5-10 grams/day due to their massive plant consumption. Even though I eat paleo, I never manage to get over 3 grams/day from diet. I think it's simply because I don't consume the volume of food necessary to get that much potassium. So I feel comfortable taking the pill form.

I also try to drink coconut water during the day. The Taste Nirvana tall cans have only 75 calories and 1 gram of potassium per can.

I have never experienced stomach issues from the potassium, but I don't have many gut issues (anymore).

 

[Crux]

Hi Rosebud;
I think the type of compound does make a difference according to one's condition. Potassium chloride may help if one has low stomach acid. The chloride can help that. Nausea may be a symptom of low stomach acid. But the need for chloride is a narrow range, so one could get too much chloride while trying to fulfill potassium. If a potassium compound causes loose stools, my guess is that, if it is not too much potassium altogether, or at one time; maybe stomach acid is too low, or that folate is low.

My tendency is toward constipation,and potassium gluconate is the compound that I take. I use Now brand that comes in a 1 lb. plastic jar. I measure the powder with spoons. I take 500 mgs. at a time usually. Because of my cortisol med., my tendency to lose potassium, and the Mb12/Folate supplementation; I take a large amount of potassium daily. It looks like I'm at the highest end of supplementation quantity. I'm at 5000 mgs. now. In past years, I have taken even more than this. I also have trouble consuming the amount of food to fulfill my need, so supplementation really helps. There are healing diets that include 14 grams of potassium daily.

I understand the difficulty in finding one's individual needs, and how symptoms are hard to read. I hope this information sheds some light.

 

[therron]

I'm on the low and slow approach. I just pulled myself out of a potassium slump by taking half of a 99 mg potassium gluconate tablet 5 times a day. I couldn't believe how my shoulder, neck, and head muscles started to relax with just this small amount. Thanks Freddd and Rich for keeping up with warnings about low potassium.

 

[Rosebud Dairy]

Thank you everyone!!

Keep it coming!!

I did just rediscover coconut water today while getting my running shoes. The guy at the running store mentioned it. I did a test on it today to see if anything tears up my stomach. It got a little rumbly then settled down. I then accidentally got sweetener in my coffee while at the coffee shop. I don't usually get THREE pumps of sugar crap in my coffee!! Just cream please!!

 

[Freddd]

I take 700mg of NOW potassium gluconate with each of two meals. I also have 5 grams of C with each meal which is said to improve mineral absorbtion. Further I take 300mg at bedtime with a glass of water. If i miss a round of vitamins by being out, I make up for it with a couple of more doses through the day. If I have early problems I note during the night or upon wakeup, I have another 300 mg dose first thing in morning. I'm considering doing a drink type from a bulk jar sometimes.

 

[rydra_wong]

My only gut issue is hypochlorhydria but I have no cndide or h pylori due to taking 1g olive leaf extract/day.

I take potassium gluconate 500mg powder from Now in 1 bottle of Vitamin Water - I buy the white one which is lemonaide flavored. I shake it up and drink it throughout the day. I feel safe doing this and it lowers my bp 5 points down to normal.

This is not an aggressive strategy. I have borderline potassium...maybe 4.2 - 4.3. This is enough to help but I could do better. It's just that I feel safe with this.

 

[rydra_wong]

I take 700mg of NOW potassium gluconate with each of two meals. I also have 5 grams of C with each meal which is said to improve mineral absorbtion. Further I take 300mg at bedtime with a glass of water. If i miss a round of vitamins by being out, I make up for it with a couple of more doses through the day. If I have early problems I note during the night or upon wakeup, I have another 300 mg dose first thing in morning. I'm considering doing a drink type from a bulk jar sometimes.

I believe the C will only increase minerl absorption if you take it as an acid - which is not the active form of C and so can strip minerals from your body - or maybe not since you are taking it with minerals. Dunno. I just always read it was safer to take it as the mineral ascorbate if you take it in high doses like that as it can change your ph not in a good way. (but in hypochlorhydria I guess you need to change your ph exactly that way?) I take vitamin D to keep my ph as it should be. If I seem to be having trouble digesting things (thick mucous due to stomach not emptying), I take apple cider vinegar in water. But...I dont have to do that very often.

 

[rydra_wong]

Just a caution to everyone taking/thinking of taking potassium chloride...it is not th ebest form if you have high blood pressure. It is actually the chloride in table salt rather than the sodium that drives up blood pressure.

If I had some sort of irritable guts I would take aloe vera and possibly slippery elm to sooth. Aloe vera can also help heal a little. idk seems like I read something about glutamine for intestinal issues. I did read that these downstream gut ssues are caused by upstream gut issues - specifically hypochlorhydria because it is the HCL hitting the gut that causes release of pancreatic enzymes and w/o those the undigested stuff in your gut (esp. fat) can be very irritating. So try digestive enzymes. After getting it soothed down, maybe address the hypochlorhydria. I think the olive leaf extract may help with that. I think it may be an autoimmune issues against the cells in th estomach wall that produce HCL. All I know is now that I take 1g/day olive leaf extract I rarely have to worry about supplementing stomach acid. (Olive leaf extract lowers blood pressure 11.5 points and may be an ace inhibitor. idk if everyone can take it).

P.S. I just read that low HCL can be caused by thyroid issues - high OR low.

 

[Little Bluestem]

I have taken Ortho Molecular Product reacted potassium and Solaray potassium amino acid complex, and am currently taking Jarrow potassium citrate - all 99 mg. I did not notice any difference. I was taking 3/day and have increased to 4/day.

I drink salt water made with potassium chloride (salt substitute). Keep the salt water weak or it can damage the stomach. See above warning about chloride and blood pressure. Mine is low. I drink 1/8 tsp. KCl in 1 cup water twice a day. Each glass is 300 mg. K. Unfortunately, the bottle does not say how much Cl.

I am also eating more foods high in potassium since some foods contain enough K to actually make a difference.

Potassium needs magnesium and sodium. Dont mix KCl and NaCl in salt water because the Na will interfere with the absorption of the K. Potassium and magnesium need calcium. Calcium needs phosphorus. In short, the minerals need to be kept in balance. I cant tell you how. Mine arent, with low potassium being the primary problem.

 

[topaz]

Potassium chloride as part of a standard low-sodium salt. I take about 2100mg a day on top of the potassium I get in my food. The usual recommendation for potassium is 3500mg, after all. I take it as part of an electrolyte mix I make myself, which I have in herbal tea in three doses throughout the day. My potassium levels haven't been tested and I am only guessing at how much I should take, but I do seem to feel better on the electrolyte mix, particularly with regard to dizziness and low blood pressure.

What is a good ratio of minerals for an electrolyte mix?

Ive seen electrolyte mixes with various combinations of the following:

Calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium chloride.

Thanks

 

[Rosebud Dairy]

I have thought about upping my number of NOW multi-min tablets, but would much rather take my Vit D in fermented cold liver oil form...

maybe the gluconate form of potassium is irritating to me.

I just need to keep my doses up, so i will increase with magnesium

 

[chilove]

I take powder potassium gluconate by NOW. I tolerate it pretty well up to 2000mg. I've also done pretty well it potassium asporate. I don't do as well with citrate.

I do magnesium oil foot soaks or baths at least every other day and sometimes daily and they also help a great deal.

I also put a mixed electrolyte mix called Electro Mix by EsterC company in my drinking water every day.

Keeping a good electrolyte balance helps me feel so much better.

Best to you!

 

[Calathea]

I wasn't aware that it was specifically the chloride that helps drive up blood pressure, but one of the main reasons why I drink an electrolyte mix made with sodium chloride and potassium chloride is precisely because I have low blood pressure! Good point about the warning, I'll put that in whenever I'm mentioning my mix. I put magnesium citrate (for the magnesium), a bit of magnesium ascorbate (for the Vitamin C), D-ribose (because electrolyte mixes tend to have a sugar of some sort in there, plus it's already in a powder) and acetyl L-carnitine (because I already buy it as a powder) in my own blend. Powdered supplements are usually cheaper, and it's a convenient way to take them all together. I'm just hoping that none of them are significantly damaged by being put into near-boiling herbal tea. I might try calcium ascorbate when the magnesium ascorbate runs out, just to give it a bit more of a mix. Some people put in bicarb of soda, but I've had nasty diarrhoea from that in the past and can't really see why it's needed, so I skip it. Here are some recipes for home-made electrolyte mixes.

 

[rydra_wong]

What is a good ratio of minerals for an electrolyte mix?

Ive seen electrolyte mixes with various combinations of the following:

Calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium chloride.

Thanks

You might want to look at this link regarding calcium-magnesium balance. Nutritionists used to recommend cal:mag in a 2:1 ratio but now they are thinking that is too little magnesium and that the best ratio mightbe 1:1. In actuality, I believe that if you are under 50 2:1 is the right ratio and if you are over 50 1:1 is the right ratio. John Johnson sees it as related to thyroid function. And please be aware that mineral balance is very important to the hyroid - in particular zinc":copper. More zinc dials up the thyroid and more copper dials it down. (Well zinc is more of a dial and copper is more of a shutoff valve).

http://www.ithyroid.com/ca_and_mg.htm

 

[Freddd]

I just want to make clear that I think that some people are making things far more complicated than needed and may be causing themselves problems or even trouble. The idea is that the electrolyte balance is needed on a steady state level. Taking an EXTRA 2000MG of potassium that is getting utilized immediately trying to maintain the serum potassium level in the 4.5 to 5 area is not the same as taking something that is going to kick your level up to 7.0 and keep it there. The formation of cells does not utilize proportionate amounts of calcium, magnesium or sodium to potassium. I want to state that in almost 9 years of having to take potassium, my calcium, sodium and magnesium has never needed to be increased.