Managing Potassium Deficiency - Share your experience

[chrism]

So I had a LOT of heart flutters/irregular heartbeats. I was trying the Freddd protocol and I couldn't tell if it was related or separate and it drove me nuts. So I stopped his protocol, had a crash, and started focusing on a slow approach with a good consistent diet (food every 1-2 hours, electrolytes drinks, and anxiety medication. I don't think Freddds protocol made it any different in hindsight, as I had it happen before and after trying his protocol. However I realized that his deficiencies are different than mine. Even if we have a lot of overlap. I'm also half his age, so dosing and reactions can be very different.

I used to get super dizzy and even wake up with heart palpitations and trouble breathing. Some might have been anxiety, obviously there was a root cause though. None of that happens for me now. I highly recommend consistent food and electrolytes. Food can give you what you need without knowing what you need. I tolerate Folate veggies fine, if I eat a lot I do get camping though (low potassium).

The heart issues continued until a few weeks of electrolytes and multivitamin. I had a x-rays, holter monitor, and ECG but the doctor's never saw any red flags. It's really weird to feel like you are dying yet test regular on everything. You could still get the testing done to just confirm nothing major is visible.

I was told by one doctor to consider emotional trauma therapy. See if it helps. That upset me a lot since it felt like I was being ignored. I've had panic attacks throughout my whole life so it's not unusual for everyone to think I'm over reacting.

You aren't crazy, even if doctor's don't understand what is happening. Another thing to keep in mind is that regular doctors are not experts in nutrition, anemia, etc. They don't have in depth knowledge on vitamin interactions.

 

[TinaT]

I've spent the day trying to learn about Vit A toxicity and liver. This is yet another conundrum. I thought I would share a few details, just in case anyone else is interested in what I discovered.

This nutritionist (who sounds reasonably smart and makes some good points) says that liver is bad bc of Vit A toxicity:

Vit A toxicity sounds nasty and yet another really concerning problem that none of us want to have. I've been eating about 1/2 c. of liver, every other day or every few days, for several weeks. She also claims that the half life of Vit A in the body, from various sources, is anywhere from 12 days to 200-300 days. Another "oh joy" moment. And -- the fun part -- of course blood tests aren't accurate for whatever reason.

But then Dr. Berg says that liver is the best food:

He specifically says that synthetic vitamins aren't good, and cause their own problems in the body, which is why he likes liver as the *best* source for B12 and folate (and several other cofactors). He also says that Vit A toxicity is not a concern based on several studies, which he mentions but doesn't link.

Here's info from the first study I could find:

"Normal doses of vitamin A are not associated with liver injury or liver test abnormalities, but higher doses (generally more than 40,000 IU daily, ~12,000 μg) can be toxic. Acute toxicity is caused by a single or a few repeated very high doses (generally >100 times the RDA), arising within days to weeks with a typical symptom complex of severe headache, nausea, vertigo, blurred vision, muscle aches and lack of coordination, followed by skin desquamation and alopecia. Severe overdose can cause increased cerebral spinal fluid pressure, progressive drowsiness and coma. Chronic hypervitaminosis A usually arises 3 months to many years after starting moderately high levels of vitamin A (generally 10 times the RDA) and is marked by dry skin, cheilosis, gingivitis, muscle and joint pains, fatigue, mental dullness, depression and liver test abnormalities. Serum bilirubin is typically only mildly elevated. Serum aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase levels are variably increased, but usually only 1 to 4 times the upper limit of normal. Serum vitamin A levels are typically, but not invariably elevated."

"While high doses of vitamin A are usually achieved by vitamin A supplements, hypervitaminosis A can also occur with excessive dietary intake of liver, particularly that of carnivores (bears, seals, dogs) or salt-water fish (cod liver oil)."

Source:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK548165/

Here is the USDA on nutritional info regarding liver:

https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/168626/nutrients

This says beef liver is 8020 ug (kinda hard to tell bc the title is actually "Beef, variety meats and by-products, liver, cooked, braised.") That would be LESS than the study above says would cause problems on a daily basis. The nutritionist above has a graphic (attached) saying that 3.5 oz of beef liver has 4968 mcgs of Vit A (which she says is bad). I would tend to trust her numbers, but is that amount going to lead to Vit A toxicity?

And what if Dr. Berg is right, that the BEST source of B12, folate, cofactors, etc., IS liver? And that synthetic vitamins cause problems? Kinda regardless.

But, heck, I mean who wants to risk this kind of damage on unclear information? It's really hard to know what to do.

 

[TinaT]

I highly recommend consistent food and electrolytes.

I totally agree with this, except I am not sure food will give you enough B12 if you have a deficiency that is causing serious neuro symptoms. Also, I really am extremely frustrated that I can't take any electrolyte drinks. They are all too acidic. That really, really sucks for me!

But I came into this B12 world because I have lived with about a year and a half of debilitating reflux. I have been sleeping sitting up and wearing a neck collar, can barely eat anything, and was taking high dose pepsid + reflux gourmet. I had a constellation of other symptoms that just were totally abnormal for me. I am sure I have developed some level of anxiety. But I just knew that this was more. Much more. The reflux was destroying my life (and still is).

Like @Freddd , my reflux was basically gone after one shot (proving to the idiot doctors that my reflux was NOT anxiety -- even though they will never see the proof -- and one doc told me that the B12 shots were causing a placebo effect -- Jesus Christ does their ignorance ever end??-- I have taken countless supplements and meds over the last year -- you would think the placebo effect would have already cured me if I was so inclined). HOWEVER, it seems like low potassium or something is making the reflux come back in a different way. At least I don't still need antacids (thank God). But I'm getting close at times. Drinking potassium usually helps the reflux. It's just extremely frustrating bc I thought it was gone now the potassium thing made it come back. I just don't want to OD on potassium (plus too much potassium, for me, worsens tinnitus, and I strongly believe that damage can become permanent if allowed to continue -- tinnitus is a red flag warning in the body IMHO). And I think I would need more potassium if I started taking more methylfolate.

 

[caledonia]

Your comments are always helpful.

I'm struggling with potassium after methyl B12 shots followed by a multi with methylfolate and an iron pill with methylfolate.

I've decided to stop the multi for now. Still thinking about the iron bc I'm low so consider that almost as important as the B12.

I wonder whether we really need methylfolate to handle the B12.

But my question for you: would you mind sharing what brand of potassium / magnesium you're taking?

Thank you!!

Hi,
Boy, that is an old post from me!
I'm currently taking Now brand potassium gluconate, and Seeking Health brand magnesium malate.
I still can't take much in the way of B vitamins - I get mine from a bit of beef liver once a week.

 

[caledonia]

Hi. Where do you find the hair analysis? Do you know if that's backed up by studies as legit? I'm desperate to figure out whether I suddenly need much more potassium, yet levels come back as normal. I guess RCB (?) Potassium doesn't help. Or is it RSB? I'm losing it.. I'm not a chemist.

I'm doing the Cutler protocol, and it's been the best thing I've ever tried.

They have people take a hair test to see if they have mercury or other toxic metals making them sick.
The right hair test is the Doctors Data Toxic and Essential Elements.

There is a trick to interpreting the hair test - if you have mercury, it will probably ironically show low in the Toxic section. So a face value reading of the test can throw people off into thinking they don't have mercury, when they actually do.

Mercury will mess up your minerals, which will show in the bottom (Essential Elements) section.
Andy Cutler worked with a statistician to come up with "Cutler's Counting Rules" to determine if the minerals are messed up.

If you decide to get a hair test, you can have the moderator at the Cutler Facebook group interpret the test for you for free. There is more info you can pull out of the test like thyroid or adrenal issues, etc.

To answer your question about why your potassium/an or other electrolytes might be messed up - it could very possibly be due to mercury and/or other toxic metals.

ps. if you read the very long Freddd thread on this forum, you will see that Freddd also has a history of mercury exposure. While it's possible to take zillions of supplements and at least somewhat offset the effects of mercury, the real way to get better is to get the mercury out. For various very important reasons (like getting a lot worse), I suggest doing the Cutler chelation protocol, and not other chelation protocols.

I have links to Cutler groups, books, hair test, etc. in my signature link.

 

[TinaT]

To answer your question about why your potassium/an or other electrolytes might be messed up - it could very possibly be due to mercury and/or other toxic metals.

ps. if you read the very long Freddd thread on this forum, you will see that Freddd also has a history of mercury exposure. While it's possible to take zillions of supplements and at least somewhat offset the effects of mercury, the real way to get better is to get the mercury out. For

Thank you. I'll keep this in mind.

I'm pretty sure my electrolyte situation is being caused by B12 injections, bc I had no issues whatsoever with electrolytes before starting B12 injections one month ago. And I'm a distance runner who has logged countless miles in the Florida sun.

I appreciate the explanation though. It's good to know in case I run out of options to consider with some of my other symptoms. Thank you!

 

[caledonia]

Thank you. I'll keep this in mind.

I'm pretty sure my electrolyte situation is being caused by B12 injections, bc I had no issues whatsoever with electrolytes before starting B12 injections one month ago. And I'm a distance runner who has logged countless miles in the Florida sun.

I appreciate the explanation though. It's good to know in case I run out of options to consider with some of my other symptoms. Thank you!

I totally agree with this, except I am not sure food will give you enough B12 if you have a deficiency that is causing serious neuro symptoms. Also, I really am extremely frustrated that I can't take any electrolyte drinks. They are all too acidic. That really, really sucks for me!

But I came into this B12 world because I have lived with about a year and a half of debilitating reflux. I have been sleeping sitting up and wearing a neck collar, can barely eat anything, and was taking high dose pepsid + reflux gourmet. I had a constellation of other symptoms that just were totally abnormal for me. I am sure I have developed some level of anxiety. But I just knew that this was more. Much more. The reflux was destroying my life (and still is).

Like @Freddd , my reflux was basically gone after one shot (proving to the idiot doctors that my reflux was NOT anxiety -- even though they will never see the proof -- and one doc told me that the B12 shots were causing a placebo effect -- Jesus Christ does their ignorance ever end??-- I have taken countless supplements and meds over the last year -- you would think the placebo effect would have already cured me if I was so inclined). HOWEVER, it seems like low potassium or something is making the reflux come back in a different way. At least I don't still need antacids (thank God). But I'm getting close at times. Drinking potassium usually helps the reflux. It's just extremely frustrating bc I thought it was gone now the potassium thing made it come back. I just don't want to OD on potassium (plus too much potassium, for me, worsens tinnitus, and I strongly believe that damage can become permanent if allowed to continue -- tinnitus is a red flag warning in the body IMHO). And I think I would need more potassium if I started taking more methylfolate.

When my potassium goes low I also get loud ringing in the ears. It's just temporary and goes back to normal when I get my potassium levels back to normal.

However, I do normally have a bit of tinnitus. I can hear it at night when it's quiet. Tinnitus is a symptom of mercury.

 

[TinaT]

When my potassium goes low I also get loud ringing in the ears. It's just temporary and goes back to normal when I get my potassium levels back to normal.

Yes, definitely, I have this too. It's terrible. (Normally I have low grade Tinnitus just in one ear -- used to be catastrophic but that improved after surgery and recovery time -- but that bad ear gets WAY worse in that ear when I suspect low K.)

I also get what feels like paralyzed bowels.

And extreme tiredness / weakness like you can't stay awake.

Thirsty.

Muscle twitching / sometimes spasms.

Those are all low K symptoms. But I also get low BP (at the same time). That's been perplexing and has stopped me from taking K supplements.

I'm starting to believe low BP is a severe low K symptom. So I'm going to experiment again with a couple of alkaline electrolyte drinks I ordered. I drank about 600 mg of K this morning, planning to drink more later.

This has just kept me confused with this B12 / methylfolate / cofactors regimen.

 

[ironlion37]

Hi, I use Dr. Berg's electrolyte powder which has 1,000 mg of potassium/serving. It's the highest of any product on the market as far as I'm aware. I usually drink two drinks a day, one of them being at bedtime as the potassium helps me sleep. I like the orange flavor but it comes in other flavors as well.

https://hspdirectory.com/product/dr-bergs-electrolyte-powder/