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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 16 of 16. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by babs on February 19, 2003, at 13:08:03
I can't seem to locate the thread on potassium depletion and ssri's but I remember reading that ssri's deplete potassium. I saw my doctor today and I am indeed low in potassium so I am going to start taking a potassium supplement. I remember reading somewhere in the thread that potassium is best taken with magnesium. Can anyone tell me how much of each I should be taking?
Posted by Bill L on February 19, 2003, at 13:45:25
In reply to potassium/magnesium and ssri's, posted by babs on February 19, 2003, at 13:08:03
Did your doc tell you to take potassium supplements?
Posted by babs on February 19, 2003, at 13:50:35
In reply to Re: potassium/magnesium and ssri's, posted by Bill L on February 19, 2003, at 13:45:25
Yes because i hate bananas and can't drink orange juice.
Posted by IsoM on February 19, 2003, at 15:45:27
In reply to Re: potassium/magnesium and ssri's » Bill L , posted by babs on February 19, 2003, at 13:50:35
Here's a few other potassium rich foods that you may not mind taking instead.
- grapefruit juice or grapefruit itself
- grapes and/or raisins (very high)
- tomatoes, in sauces & spaghetti you get quite a bit
- all dried beans, cooked up of course like baked beasn, chili concarne, etc.
- apricots, peaches, & nectarines
- aspargus
- beet greens cooked like spinach (very high in K)
- beets (the roots)
- broccoli
- Chinese cabbage (in fact, most veggies from the cabbage/brocolli family)
- cottage cheese, milk, too, is a pretty good source but not hard cheeses
- chocolate, cocoa powder
- corn
- cucumbers
- dates (very high)
- potatoes (fairly high)
- most salt water fish & other sea foods
- some meats like prok & lamb are good sources tooConsidering how many foods contain potassium, you wouldn't need supplements unless you werer't eating much veggies & fruits. The best potassium to buy is any potassium gluconate tablet - manufactors don't matter. It's all the same.
Potassium doesn't have to be balanced with magnesium. It's magnesium & calcium that needs balancing. Most foods that are rich in potassium are also rich in magnesium. Both are essential for plant growth & animal health.
Posted by babs on February 19, 2003, at 16:53:36
In reply to list of potassium rich foods » babs, posted by IsoM on February 19, 2003, at 15:45:27
thanks IsoM- that was great! Just out of curiousity, is there anything wrong with taking a potassium supplement?
Posted by IsoM on February 19, 2003, at 19:53:14
In reply to Re: list of potassium rich foods » IsoM, posted by babs on February 19, 2003, at 16:53:36
No, I can't see any harm in a potassium supplement. The best one to take is a chelated form of potassium like potassium gluconate. You don't need a brand name, any no name brand will do - they're quite cheap. Potassium & sodium are the two minerals that the body balances on against the other. Potassium is found mainly inside the cells (intercellular fluid) while sodium is found outside the cells (extracellular fluid). So your serum sodium levels are normally very high compared to potassium as most of it's intracellular.
Your body works hard to maintain the proper balance so if the doctor found your blood potassium levels low & you do eat enough potassium rich foods, it's worth checking out if there may be another cause for your hypokalemia. By looking over the list of foods given, you'd know better than anyone if your intake is low. Excessive sodium (salt) can affect your potassium levels somewhat too.
Posted by bluedog on February 20, 2003, at 11:08:49
In reply to potassium supplement » babs, posted by IsoM on February 19, 2003, at 19:53:14
> No, I can't see any harm in a potassium supplement. The best one to take is a chelated form of potassium like potassium gluconate.
Hi Iso
Just to throw a spanner into the works I very distinctly reading that anyone suffering from depression should actually AVOID potassium supplements. Too much potassium can actually aggravate depression.
I'll have a dig around to see if I can find this information back. I can't quite remember if it was on the net or in a diet and supplement book I have read. I'll definitely get back to you on this issue...probably over the weekend as I'm going to bed now.
Maybe someone else has heard of this excessive potassium/depression connection?
Expect further info soon:)
warm regards
bluedog
Posted by IsoM on February 20, 2003, at 13:42:39
In reply to Re: potassium supplement » IsoM, posted by bluedog on February 20, 2003, at 11:08:49
You ol' dog, you! Imagine questioning me! ^_*
You did make me curious as there's new developments all the time & no doctor can keep up with all of them, let alone us ordinary folks. I did a Google search & only found mention that low potassium levels can contribute to depression. MEDLINEplus mentioned that any one taking potassium cupplements should let their doctor know if they're taking ADs too as sometimes there can be some interaction. But still nothing about any dangers of taking K when depressed.
Here's the MEDLINEplus article on potassium:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/uspdi/202473.html
Posted by fachad on February 20, 2003, at 18:43:16
In reply to potassium/magnesium and ssri's, posted by babs on February 19, 2003, at 13:08:03
Potassium supplements in useful dosages are available by RX only.
The OTC postasium tablets are only 99 mg per tablet.
However, if you go buy "no-salt" salt substutute, it is actually potassium chloride instead of sodium chloride. A big shaker only costs about $4, and 1/4 teaspoon mixed into a glass of water provides 650mg of potassium.
I actually got that tip from the book:
Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine, Revised 2nd Edition by Michael T. Murray, Joseph E. Pizzorno
Posted by IsoM on February 20, 2003, at 19:55:08
In reply to Potassium Supplement Tip, posted by fachad on February 20, 2003, at 18:43:16
Sorry fachad, it may be true in the States or may have been true in the past, but I can say for a certainty that the no name potassium gluconate tablets I bought (100 for under $5.00 Cdn dollars, pharmacy grade) contains enough potassium gluconate to provide 550 mg elemental potassium per tablet.
My cat with renal failure needs potassium & the vet's supply price for potassium gluconate powder is ridiculously expensive so she said if I could find another source to buy it instead. Same thing exactly.
Posted by bluedog on February 21, 2003, at 10:01:01
In reply to Re: potassium and depression » bluedog, posted by IsoM on February 20, 2003, at 13:42:39
I'm not an old dog yet....I have to wait for my birthday before I will admit to being old:)
I WAS however quaking in my boots for being so petulant as to perhaps disagree with you :)
But I still remember reading this somewhere so I am still searching for the source of this memory that seems to be hidden somewhere deep within my brain. (of course the very fact that I'm posting on psychobabble is probably a very good indication that my brain is perhaps not working exactly as nature intended)
I may of course be wrong but I never admit I'm wrong until I'm sure I am :))).....How's that for being cheeky???
Expect either a very smug "I told you so" post OR a very humble "you were right all along" post from me in the very near future.
regards from a starting to doubt himself bluedog!!
Posted by bluedog on February 21, 2003, at 11:13:32
In reply to Re: potassium and depression » IsoM, posted by bluedog on February 21, 2003, at 10:01:01
I have researched the topic of vitamins, diet and supplements to the smallest detail over the last year.
I have read dozens and dozens of books on these topics and spent countless hours on the internet doing further research.
I have made my own extensive notes on the topic trying to make some sense of all the advice (which by the way is often frustratingly contradictory in nature) as I have tried to find some common threads in the advice that is given by different authors and experts. Some of these authors know what they are talking about whilst other authors/experts are just quacks.
I have made a very clear reference in my own notes that potassium supplements MAY cause depression. I think my note probably refers to potassium SUPPLEMENTS and NOT to food sources of potassium.
I am too tired now to delve any deeper into the original source of my note but the note has been made and I would not have made such a note without having obtained this information from somewhere. I'm going to bed now and will try to locate the original source of my note over the weekend.
I'll then also be in a position to say whether my information was legitimate advice or merely the advice of a quack.
I'll get back to you.
bluedog
Posted by shar on February 21, 2003, at 13:39:53
In reply to Potassium Supplement Tip, posted by fachad on February 20, 2003, at 18:43:16
I sense a double double quotes message coming in from dr. bob.
8)> I actually got that tip from the book:
>
> Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine, Revised 2nd Edition by Michael T. Murray, Joseph E. Pizzorno
>
>
Posted by IsoM on February 21, 2003, at 14:54:21
In reply to Re: potassium and depression - I THINK I'm right, posted by bluedog on February 21, 2003, at 11:13:32
I eagerly await your humblest of apologies & then I can say "I told you so".
Otherwise, I'll get your smug answer & my humblest of apologies will return. (Yeah, right! I'll just dismiss it with a "Hmm, interesting - I never read *that* before.") *_^
Don't bust a gut trying to find it. I'm sure you'll come across it yet, you young 'un dog.
Posted by jflange on February 21, 2003, at 17:53:09
In reply to potassium/magnesium and ssri's, posted by babs on February 19, 2003, at 13:08:03
Hi babs:
I think it may have been a thread I participated in that you were looking for. I suggested to someone who was experiencing ssri-induced restless legs to take potassium before bedtime to get rid of the problem (a trick I learned over at sleepnet.com). I have heard for a number of years that potassium depletion CAN be a s/e of ssri's. It does help to take magnesium alongside of potassium, though it is not required, per se. Like any mineral, it is best to keep a balance in place, so that once you supplement with potassium, it is important to keep it in a balance with the sodium in your system.
Normally, one takes 40 - 99 mgs. of Potassium supplementation a day. 250 - 500 mgs of Magnesium is a normal range. Since you mention your doc says you are Potassium >deficient<, I would check to see what s/he suggests.
Best,
jflange
Posted by Dr. Bob on February 22, 2003, at 8:16:37
In reply to Potassium Supplement Tip, posted by fachad on February 20, 2003, at 18:43:16
> I actually got that tip from the book:
>
> Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine, Revised 2nd Edition by Michael T. Murray, Joseph E. PizzornoI'd just like to plug the double double quotes feature:
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/faq.html#amazon
But I don't mean to be pushy. Did you deliberately not use it to link to Amazon? If so, I'd be interested in why, over at Psycho-Babble Administration:
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/admin/20020918/msgs/7717.html
Bob
PS: Thanks, Shar! :-)
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