Potassium
Radiation Fears Spur Sales of Iodide Pills
FDA PATIENT INFORMATION USE OF 130-MG SCORED TABLETS OF POTASSIUM IODIDE FOR THYROID BLOCKING
Potassium is a macromineral, meaning it is required in amounts greater than 1 gram.
Potassium is an extremely import mineral. It is helpful in reducing blood pressure and preventing strokes.
Unfortunately, the FDA will not allow a combination vitamin formula to contain more than 99 mg of potassium per recommended daily dose.
Thus, the recommended dose for Super Life Glow (30 capsules) and for Life Glow Plus (20 capsules) and thus both formulas contain the same amount of potassium -- 99 mg.
You can and should take extra potassium. There is information below about this issue. But, this note is here to inform you that the potassium in these formulas is deliberately kept at the legal maximum allowed by the government -- 99 mg.
You can easily take several thousand mg -- safely.
Potassium, sodium, and chloride are electrolytes-mineral salts that can conduct electricity when they are dissolved in water. They are so intricately related that they are most often discussed together in nutrition textbooks. The reason these nutrients are so closely linked is that electrolytes are always found in pairs; a positively charged molecule like sodium or potassium is always accompanied by a negatively charged molecule like chloride.
Just as important as the total potassium content of food is to consume sodium and potassium in the proper balance. Too much sodium in the diet can lead to disruption of this balance. Numerous studies have demonstrated that a low-potassium, high-sodium diet plays a major role in the development of cancer and cardiovascular disease (heart disease, high blood pressure, strokes, etc.) Conversely, a diet high in potassium and low in sodium is protective against there diseases, and in the case of high blood pressure it can be therapeutic.
Q. Can too much sodium and not enough potassium really lead to high blood pressure?
A. Absolutely. In fact, getting too much sodium chloride (table salt) in the diet, coupled with diminished dietary potassium, is a common cause of high blood pressure. Numerous studies have shown that sodium restriction alone does not improve blood pressure control in most people – it must be accompanied by a high potassium intake.
In our society only 5% of sodium intake comes from the natural ingredients in food. Prepared foods contribute 45% of ou sodium intake, 45% is added in cooking, and another 5% is added as a condiment. All the body requires in most instances is the salt that is supplied in the food.
Most Americans have a potassium-to-sodium (K:Na) ratio of less than 1:2. This 1:2 ratio means most people ingest twice as much sodium as potassium. Researchers recommend a dietary potassium-to-sodium ratio of greater than 5:1 to maintain minimum health. This is 10 times higher than the average intake. However, even this may not be optimal. A natural diet rich in fruits and vegetables can produce a K:Na ratio greater than 100:1, as most fruits and vegetables have a K:Na ratio of at least 50:1.
Here are the average K:Na ratios for several common fresh fruits and vegetables:
Q. Can increasing potassium intake lower blood pressure?
A. Many studies have shown that increasing dietary potassium intake can lower blood pressure. In addition, there are now several studies which show that potassium supplementation al intake alone can produce significant reductions in blood pressure in hypertensive subjects. Typically these studies have utilized dosages range=ing from 2.5 g to 5 g of potassium per day. Significant drops in both systolic and diastolic values have been achieved.
In one study, 37 adults with mild hypertension participated in a crossover study. Patients received either 2.5 g of potassium oer day, 2.5 g of potassium plus 480 mg of magnesium, or a placebo for eight weeks. They were then crossed-over to receive a different treatment for another eight weeks and so on. The results of the study demonstrated that potassium supplementation lowered systolic blood pressure from an average of 12 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure an average of 16 mm Hg. Interestingly, the additional magnesium offered no further reduction in blood pressure.
Potassium supplementation may be especially useful in the treatment of high blood pressure in persons over the age of 65. The elderly often do not fully respond to blood pressure-lowering drugs making the use of potassium supplement an exciting possibility. In one double-blind study, 18 untreated elderly patients (average age 75 years) with systolic blood pressure of greater than 160 mm Hg and/or a diastolic blood pressure of greater than 95 mm Hg were given either potassium chloride (supplying 2.5 g of potassium) or a placebo each day for four weeks. After this relatively short treatment period the group getting the potassium experienced a drop of 12 mm Hg in systolic and 7 mm Hg in diastolic blood pressure. These results compare quite favorably to the reduction of blood pressure produced by drug therapy in the European Working Party on High Blood Pressure in Elderly Study.
Q. Besides high blood pressure, are there any other signs if too much sodium and not enough potassium?
A. A potassium deficiency is also characterized by muscle weakness, fatigue, mental confusion, irritablility, weakness, heart disturbances, and problems in nerve conduction and muscle contraction. Dietary potassium deficiency is typically caused by a diet low in fresh fruits and vegetables but high in sodium. It is more common to see dietary potassium deficiency in the elderly. Dietary potassium deficiency is less common than deficiency due to excessive fluid loss (sweating, diarrhea or urination) or the use of diuretics, laxatives, aspirin, and other drugs.
The amount of potassium lost in sweat can be quite significant, especially if the exercise is prolonged in a warm environment. Athletes or people who regularly exercise have higher potassium needs. Because up to 3 g of potassium can be lost in one day by sweating, a daily intake of at least 4 g of potassium is recommended for these individuals.
Q. Why is potassium so valuable?
A. Potassium is an extremely important electrolyte that functions in the maintenance of:
Over 95% of potassium in the body is found within cells. In contrast, most of the sodium in the body is located outside the cells in the blood and other fluids. How does this happen? Cells actually pump sodium out and potassium in via the "sodium-potassium pump." This pump is found in the membranes of all cells in the body. One of its most important functions is preventing the swelling of cells. If sodium is not pumped out, water accumulates within the cell causing it to swell and ultimately burst.
The sodium-potassium pump also functions to maintain the electrical charge within the cell. This is particularly important to muscle and nerve cell. During nerve transmission and muscle contraction, potassium exits the cell and sodium enters, resulting in a change in electrical charge. This change is what causes a nerve impulse or muscle contraction. It is not surprising that a potassium deficiency affects muscles and nerves first.
Although sodium and chloride are important, potassium is the most important dietary electrolyte. In addition to functioning as an electrolyte, potassium is also essential for the conversion of blood sugar into glycogen-the storage form of blood sugar found in the muscles and liver. A potassium shortage results in lower levels of stored glycogen. Because glycogen is used by exercising muscles for energy, a potassium deficiency will produce great fatigue and muscle weakness. These are typically the first signs of potassium deficiency.
Q. What are the signs of potassium depletion?
A. Potassium depletion occurs whenever the rate of loss of potassium through urinary excretion, sweat, or the gastrointestinal tract (vomiting or diarrhea) exceeds the rate of potassium intake. Severe potassium depletion is most often the result of the use of certain diuretics, but can also occur as a result of severe diarrhea or vomiting. Because severe potassium depletion can have serious consequences, it is best to consult a physician if you suspect you may be suffering from potassium depletion. Since most of the body’s potassium stores are within cells, simply measuring the level of free potassium in the serum ( the portion of the blood containing no blood cells) will usually only be low in extreme potassium depletion. The best test for determining the body’s potassium stores is the red-blood-cell potassium level.
Q. How much potassium is advised daily?
A. The estimated safe and adequate daily dietary intake of potassium, as set by the Committee in Recommended Daily Allowances, is 1.9 g to 5.6 g. If body potassium requirements are not met through diet, supplementation is essential to good health. This statement is particularly true foe the elderly, athletes, and people with high blood pressure.
Q. What should I look for in a potassium supplement?
A. Potassium supplements that are available in health food stores are wither potassium salts (chloride and bicarbonate), potassium bound to various mineral chelates ( e.g. aspartate, citrate, etc.), or food-based potassium sources. The FDA restricts the amount of potassium available in non-food based forms to a mere 99 mg per dose because of problems associated with high-dosages potassium salts, yet so-called salt substitutes such as the popular brands NoSalt and Nu-Salt are in fact potassium chloride that provide 530 mg of potassium per 1/6 teaspoon!
Potassium chloride preparations are also available by prescription in a vast array of formulations (timed-release tablets, liquids, powders, and effervescent tablets) and flavors. Potassium salts are commonly prescribed by physicians in the dosage range of 1.5 g to 3 g per day. However, potassium salts can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and ulcers when given in pill form at high dosage levels. These effects are not seen when potassium levels are increased through diet only. This difference highlights the advantages of using foods or food-based potassium supplements to meet the human body’s high potassium requirements.
Cresson H. Kearny, the author of Nuclear War Survival Skills, Original Edition Published September, 1979, by Oak Ridge National Laboratory, a Facility of the U.S. Department of Energy (Updated and Expanded 1987 Edition) states on page 111:
"There is no medicine that will effectively prevent nuclear radiations from damaging the human body cells that they strike.
However, a salt of the elements potassium and iodine, taken orally even in very small quantities 1/2 hour to 1 day before radioactive iodines are swallowed or inhaled, prevents about 99% of the damage to the thyroid gland that otherwise would result. The thyroid gland readily absorbs both non-radioactive and radioactive iodine, and normally it retains much of this element in either or both forms.
When ordinary, non-radioactive iodine is made available in the blood for absorption by the thyroid gland before any radioactive iodine is made available, the gland will absorb and retain so much that it becomes saturated with non-radioactive iodine. When saturated, the thyroid can absorb only about l% as much additional iodine, including radioactive forms that later may become available in the blood: then it is said to be blocked. (Excess iodine in the blood is rapidly eliminated by the action of the kidneys.)"
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) stated July 1, 1998 in USE OF POTASSIUM IODIDE IN EMERGENCY RESPONSE:
"Potassium iodide, if taken in time, blocks the thyroid gland's uptake of radioactive iodine and thus could help prevent thyroid cancers and other diseases that might otherwise be caused by exposure to airborne radioactive iodine that could be dispersed in a nuclear accident."
Federal Register. Vol. 43 Friday, December 15, 1978, states in Potassium Iodide as a Thyroid Blocking Agent in a Radiation Emergency:
"Almost complete (greater than 90%) blocking of peak radioactive iodine uptake by the thyroid gland can be obtained by the oral administration of ... iodide ..."
National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements. NCRP Report NO. 55. Protection of the Thyroid Gland in the Event of Releases of Radioiodine. August, 1979, Page 32:
"A major protective action to be considered after a serious accident at a nuclear power facility involving the release of radioiodine is the use of stable iodide as a thyroid blocking agent to prevent thyroid uptake of radioiodines."
The recently updated (1999) World Health Organization (WHO) Guidelines for Iodine Prophylaxis following Nuclear Accidents states:
"Stable iodine administered before, or promptly after, intake of radioactive iodine can block or reduce the accumulation of radioactive iodine in the thyroid."
Potassium is a macromineral, meaning it is required in amounts greater than 1 gram. The FDA has set the RDI (Recommended Daily Intake) for potassium at 3,500 mg. The average American diet contains only between 1,000 to 2,500 mgs. of potassium. While our bodies usually conserve minerals, about 20% of our potassium is lost daily, primarily in sweat and urine.
Potassium is found primarily inside our cells—fully 98% of all our potassium. Potassium should be in balance with the sodium outside the cells.* It is used in the metabolism of foods to produce energy and in the synthesis of proteins and glycogen, a starch stored in the liver which our bodies can use for energy until we can eat.*
Potassium is particularly important in maintaining the proper acid-alkaline balance of our bodies.* Potassium acts with magnesium as a muscle relaxant in opposition to calcium.* It helps transmit nerve impulses and aids in the release of insulin from the pancreas.*
Potassium deficiency is uncommon in healthy people. Vomiting, diarrhea, profuse sweating, kidney disease, diuretic use and surgery may cause excessive loss of potassium. Excesses of either sodium or magnesium may also cause loss of potassium. Potassium deficiency can cause muscle weakness, intestinal problems (especially abdominal bloating), heart abnormalities, respiratory weakness, tingling sensations in the skin, and apathy.
Vegetables and fruits are good sources of potassium, especially avocados, potatoes, bananas and dried apricots. Breads, cereals, cheeses and most meats are poor sources. Large amounts of natural potassium may be lost from foods through processing and cooking.
FDA PATIENT INFORMATION USE OF 130-MG SCORED TABLETS OF POTASSIUM IODIDE FOR
THYROID BLOCKING
(Potassium Iodide Tablets, U.S.P.)
(Pronounced poe-TASS-e-um EYE-oh-dyed)
(Abbreviated KI)
TAKE POTASSIUM IODIDE ONLY WHEN PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS TELL YOU. IN A RADIATION EMERGENCY, RADIOACTIVE IODINE COULD BE RELEASED INTO THE AIR. POTASSIUM IODIDE (A FORM OF IODINE) CAN HELP PROTECT YOU.
IF YOU ARE TOLD TO TAKE THIS MEDICINE, TAKE IT ONE TIME EVERY 24 HOURS. DO NOT TAKE IT MORE OFTEN. MORE WILL NOT HELP YOU AND MAY INCREASE THE RISK OF SIDE EFFECTS. DO NOT TAKE THIS DRUG IF YOU KNOW YOU ARE ALLERGIC TO IODINE (SEE SIDE EFFECTS BELOW).
INDICATIONS
THYROID BLOCKING IN A RADIATION EMERGENCY ONLY
DIRECTIONS FOR USE
Use only as directed by State or local public health authorities in the event of a radiation emergency.
DOSE
ADULTS AND CHILDREN ONE YEAR OF AGE OR
OLDER: One (1) tablet once a day. Crush for small children.
BABIES UNDER ONE YEAR OF AGE: One-half (1/2) tablet once a day. Crush first.
DOSAGE: Take for 10 days unless directed otherwise by State or local public health authorities.
Store at controlled room temperature between 15 and 30C (59 degrees to 86 degrees F). Keep bottle tightly closed and protect from light.
WARNING
POTASSIUM IODIDE SHOULD NOT BE USED BY PEOPLE ALLERGIC TO IODIDE. Keep out of the reach of children. In case of overdose or allergic reaction, contact a physician or public health authority.
DESCRIPTION
Each (company trade name) Tablet contains 130 mg. of potassium iodide.
HOW POTASSIUM IODIDE WORKS
Certain forms of iodine help your thyroid gland work right. Most people get the iodine they need from foods like iodized salt or fish. The thyroid can "store" or hold only a certain amount of iodine.
In a radiation emergency, radioactive iodine may be released in the air. This material may be breathed or swallowed. It may enter the thyroid gland and damage it. The damage would probably not show itself for years. Children are most likely to have thyroid damage.
If you take potassium iodide, it will fill up your thyroid gland. This reduces the chance that harmful radioactive iodine will enter the thyroid gland.
WHO SHOULD NOT TAKE POTASSIUM IODIDE
The only people who should not take potassium iodide are people who know they are allergic to iodide. You may take potassium iodide even if you are taking medicines for a thyroid problem (for example, a thyroid hormone or anti-thyroid drug). Pregnant and nursing women and babies and children may also take this drug.
HOW AND WHEN TO TAKE POTASSIUM IODIDE
Potassium iodide should be taken as soon as possible after public health officials tell you. You should take one dose every 24 hours. More will not help you because the thyroid can "hold" only limited amounts of iodine. Larger doses will increase the risk of side effects. You will probably be told not to take the drug for more than 10 days.
SIDE EFFECTS
Usually, side effects of potassium iodide happen when people take higher doses for a long time. You should be careful not to take more than the recommended dose or take it for longer than you are told. Side effects are unlikely because of the low dose and the short time you will be taking the drug.
Possible side effects include skin rashes, swelling of the salivary glands, and "iodism" (metallic taste, burning mouth and throat, sore teeth and gums, symptoms of a head cold, and sometimes stomach upset and diarrhea).
A few people have an allergic reaction with more serious symptoms. These could be fever and joint pains, or swelling of parts of the face and body and at times severe shortness of breath requiring immediate medical attention.
Taking iodide may rarely cause overactivity of the thyroid gland, underactivity of the thyroid gland, or enlargement of the thyroid gland (goiter).
WHAT TO DO IF SIDE EFFECTS OCCUR
If the side effects are severe or if you have an allergic reaction, stop taking potassium iodide. Then, if possible, call a doctor or public health authority for instructions.
HOW SUPPLIED
Tablets (Potassium Iodide Tablets, U.S.P.): bottles of [number of tablets in a bottle] tablets
( ). Each white, round, scored tablet contains 130 mg. potassium iodide.
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