Potassium research

In the animal nutrition class that I got out of a few minutes ago, we were discussing what posassium defficiency can do and some of the factors that can cause it. The professor showed us a slides of cattle with BIG BALD PATCHES on their sides, belly, anywhere they can reach with their teeth. Potassium   deffiency can cause animals to pull out and sometimes eat their own hair!!! We also learned that stress (from shipping or being moved to a new herd, etc.) increases the amount of potassium that is excreted in the urine. The hair-pulling/eating goes away when animals are supplemented with potassium. I nearly cried when I heard all this. I saw some posts a few months ago about potassium only being a placebo, but this *really* makes me believe it's not. I realize that human beings are much more complicated creatures than your average dairy cow, and that breaking the *habit* part is extremely difficult, but it looks like a potassium defficiency may well be the actual *physical* cause for a lot of people. Maybe medical doctors and veterinarians should talk to each other more...

I hope this information helps someone. I'm definately going to starttaking that potassium more regularly.

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I am not surprised by the study showing reduced pulling in animals on potassium. I have been taking potassium now for 2 months and I can tell you that my urges to pull are ENTIRELY gone. I have been pull free for 5 weeks and have absolutely no desire to pull. I feel maybe like normal people feel. They don't give a second thought to their hair and I don't either. The potassium has been very liberating for me. I don't even want to test to see if coming off of it would return any urges. I am perfectly happy pull free and that is where I intend to remain.