Warning on Potassium usage

" I ran a brief search on the medical literature and couldn't find anything on potassium supplements for OCD or ICD. Potassium supplements are of course quite common for electrolyte replacement therapy. I checked the the Fairlight Board for the references and found this seems to be a form of self-medication using health store products.

I am never one to be critical of anything essentially harmless that works. I
have strong reservations about potassium. Potassium is one of the body's
essential and critical electrolytes which must be maintained in balance, not
only for good health, but for life itself to be sustained. Potassium level in
the blood directly effects the heart rhythm. A low potassium level can cause
arhythmia leading to death. A high level can produce cardiac arrest. In
fact, excess potassium can bring about cardiac arrest faster than sodium
cyanide. Potassium chloride is one of the trio of agents used in lethal
injections because it produces near instant cardiac standstill. Potassium
chloride is also used for IV or oral supplements to restore and maintain
electrolyte balance when there is a disturbance in the body due to illness or
injury. The key is to maintain the proper level.

Fortunately, a health human body maintains its own potassium level within a
relatively narrow range through one of the many involved mechanisms that
maintain homeostasis. The body cannot synthesis nor metabolise potassium
which is an element. Instead, the body controls its potassium level by
excretion mostly through the kidneys, and to a lesser extent, the skin.
Through this mechanism, the body maintains a relatively constant serum level
of the potassium ion despite large variations of intake in the diet and from
other sources. As long as the body gets enough potassium to maintain the
required minimal level and not so much as to overwhemed its excretion
capacity, it will maintain the essential the same potassium level in the
bloodstream. That is essential to prevent disturbances in the heart rhythm.

Determining the level of potassium in the blood is a routine lab test. If it
is within normal limits without a supplement, most likely the additional
amount taken by way of a supplement will be excreted, yielding no net change.
Without any net change, there could not be any benefit. If enough is taken to
overload the kidneys which would be necessary to actually raised the serum
potassium level significantly, it would be dangerous situation in my opinion.
If the one believes his or her potassium level is not adequate, simply have
your doctor run a electrolyte series. If the potassium level is indeed low,
it needs immediate professional treatment for reasons far more important than
hairpulling, such as keeping the person alive. If one's potassium level is
normal, than it would be difficult to make the case for a supplement or what
possible benefit could be derived from it.

Concerning the distinction between potassium chloride and potassium gluconate,
potassium choride is a salt of an alkali metal and therefore is completely
ionized in the concentrations found in the human body. Potassium chorides
therefore does not exist in the body, but rather supplies potassium ions and
chloride ions the latter being indistinguishable from those provide by common
table salt which is sodium chloride. Potassium bound to the gluconate ion may
not release ions as readily and would be less dangerous than potassium
chloride, but less effective as well. As long as the potassium is bound, it
can have not effect on the body's function, beneficial or otherwise.

So aside from eating a banana or two a day to assure one has the potassium
intake one needs for good overall health, I would not suggest take any
supplements unless prescribed by a medical doctor.

Mike Grant