Potassium/magnesium reply to Penny

February 20, 2001

In a message dated 2/20/01 10:01:36 AM Pacific Standard Time,

PennyHoule@... writes:

<< Anyway, you know I'm hypo, and I'd also been feeling that potassium was

something I needed to look into. Thanks to your research, I've been

experimenting with approximately 1,000 mgs a day (more when I can manage it)

and every time I do, I see a huge improvement in my strange heart sensations.

However, I also KNOW that I'm deficient in magnesium, because of muscle

twitching and spasms etc. so I'm still taking that as well. I just don't feel

right if I don't take it. Does this make sense, to need both? >>

Hi Penny,

My suspicion is that in most cases of thyroid disease, sodium and calcium

are normal or high and the opposite minerals, potassium and magnesium, are

low. The combination of low K and Mg is a critical causative factor. I was

supplementing with lots of Mg and ignored K and this got me into trouble. I

think that most people will probably have to supplement both, since they are

both deficient. The trick is to get the K:Mg ratio right. This will require

experimentation and we'll just have to get people's reports of what they

finally settle on as a ratio.

My feeling is that once potassium gets replenished then many of the other

minerals will also become normalized since potassium seems to be a key

" gateway " mineral which regulates the passage of other minerals into the

cells. Potassium deficiency could well be the initial step which causes the

other minerals to become deficient because they can no longer get into the

cells as easily.

Since our bodies have, or are supposed to have, very large stores of

potassium, it may take a while to replenish. We'll have to see as we go

along. It's possible other minerals are needed for potassium absorption, so

we have to be aware of this possibility.

It's possible that magnesium can't be replenished until potassium is

replenished. So supplementing potassium may decrease the need for magnesium

supplementation. Pay attention to this and be prepared to decrease magnesium

if necessary.

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