Type 2 Diabetes and Potassium.
Posted , 5 users are following.
I have tried multiple natural treatments for my type 2 diabetes since I was diagnosed in 2015. Some have worked well for a while but eventually stop working. My latest trial was kelp and dark green vegetable juicing. That gave me good results, but juicing takes a lot of time and is messy, so I wanted to find out what is in these vegetables that is helping. It appears to be potassium. Almost everyone is low on potassium and it is very difficult to get the recommended amount of 3000 to 4000mg per day. For that last few days I have gotten good results from taking 2 potassium supplements with every meal that is not vegetables. Each tablet or capsule is only 99mg so it would take alot to get up to the min daily requirement. But it is still helping. I always take it with food to avoid stomach upset, which is common with potassium. I have 4 different potassium supplements so I don't depend on any one supplement. One is just powdered kelp.
I also noticed that some blood pressure medications are potassium based. Modern diets are full of high sodium "foods." Is it possible that by this high sodium diet we are causing diabetes ? I also try to use sea salt whenever I add salt. It has potassium in it. Table salt has only sodium chloride. Preserved foods have the same or sodium nitrate.
Has anyone else tried adding this supplement to their diet to treat type 2 diabetes?
0 likes, 14 replies
jx41870 Jonathan57679
Posted
I'm not aware of any kind of direct link between potassium and diabetes or blood sugar.
Avocado and spinach are high-potassium, low carb, foods.
I'm told potassium supplements are frowned upon, which is also why they make them so small, too easy to go too high instead of too low, better to do it through diet.
Untreated diabetes with excessive urination might cause a problem with electrolytes, but if your diabetes is at all under control, I'm not sure a problem with electrolytes is common.
jx41870
Posted
Oh, and watermelon.
What are your BG and A1C levels? Are you taking any drugs?
What other dietary approaches have you tried?
Green tea?
Cinnamon?
Figs?
Jonathan57679 jx41870
Posted
I have tried the glucose bars that are supposed to balance glucose, and they did seem to help, but are full of chemicals and artificial sweeteners. I tried eating dates after each meal to exercise my pancreas. That worked for a few months and then my morning glucose was going back up. I tried green tea and other teas. And the kale juice, which is the best so far. I watched Dr Bergs videos online and he recommended the kale. I need to watch more of his videos.
I take 1 or 2 metformin daily, usually my stomach can only handle 1. I tried cinnimon and chromium. Both have helped but not the full answer.
I was holding my A1C at 6.2 but my last one was 7.2, so I'm going the wrong way. Morning glucose has risen from 112 to 137 or more. I will stick to the potassium treatment until my next A1C, then decide which way to go. Potassium also helps the stomach make hydrochloric acid.
I also need to lose 15lbs but have hot been able to yet. Some people can not handle any extra weight in the mid-section.
jx41870 Jonathan57679
Posted
I thought dates were about the worst thing going. I've never heard of this "exercise the pancreas" thing, although I understand the concept - and I'm doing something like it, I think. Only it's working for me.
How many carbs are you eating, per meal, per day?
Are you eating snacks, or avoiding them, and if eating them, what are you eating as snacks?
Have you considered a full keto diet?
Jonathan57679 jx41870
Posted
I think the diabetes is a result of a previous digestive issue where I needed to keep something in my stomach all the time to avoid the burn.
That issue is 90% resolved but then was left with diabetes. Now I am able to go 3 or 4 hours between meals. If I need something else I have a vegetable smoothie or fruit. I rarely cheat on snacks. I don't count carbs. I guess I'm still looking for a cure. I try to exercise regularly and I have considered the Keto diet.
jx41870 Jonathan57679
Posted
It sounds like you're making progress, but you want to learn to count the carbs.
And the other side is exercise - walk a mile or two, two or three times a day. Can work miracles on diabetes. Might even help the digestive issues. Who knew one of the most powerful cures for diabetes was a pair of walking shoes? Everyone should know!
Bori Jonathan57679
Posted
Be careful with potassium supplements because your body needs to be in balance with sodium. Too much potassium can put stress on your heart. I rather see you eat potassium rich fruits like bananas and kiwi. Fruits provide that naturally and fiber. Good Luck !
Jonathan57679 Bori
Posted
I have been making fruit and vegetable smoothies for a number of years. I have two huge 20oz servings a day. Lots of fiber, but not enough potassium to do the trick, it seems.
77DarkHorse7 Jonathan57679
Posted
I've read your question, and my feeling on this is: yes, by taking additional potassium you will initially increase your insulin production. This is because elevated potassium is cardiotoxic, so the body will attempt to reduce the blood potassium levels to a healthy level. Your body does what a physician would usually do for a patient with high potassium: give you a dose of insulin to match the extra glucose that goes with it. Which, in turn, causes the tissues to take up the excess potassium from the blood.
However, it's not a permanent fix, eventually either the pancreas runs out of insulin, or the tissues become too full of potassium to absorb any more.
Your best bet, in addition to your current drug based regimen, is to reduce total daily calories (to slowly burn off the stored cellular glucose and make room for more blood glucose uptake) , and reduce insulin resistance by a) greatly increasing daily physical activity, and b) consuming foods that have proven insulin resistance lowering effects (such as sweet potato, cinnamon, bitter melon, and spicy red pepper)
Jonathan57679 77DarkHorse7
Posted
Very valuable information. I now have more homework to do and more exercise. Thank you.
jx41870 77DarkHorse7
Posted
So a body under stress first increases blood glucose - which is just what you do NOT want to do! Then the body might normally try to compensate with more insulin, but if you're diabetic that probably won't work! So that is not even a thing to try.
77DarkHorse7 jx41870
Posted
Not exactly true. While physical activity may begin with an increased stress response, by the end, the net result is a decrease in stress. And any initial hyperglycemic effects are more than outweighed by the reduction of insulin resistance leading to increased muscle uptake of glucose. On top of which, exercise releases endorphins which reduce sympathetic drive, leading to relaxation.
jx41870 77DarkHorse7
Posted
Surely exercise is not automatically the same thing as stress?
This is exactly something I've been wondering about since getting involved (harrumph) with diabetes, mild exercise seems to soak up some BG and reduce insulin resistance, but extended or vigorous exercise soon causes greater BG release from the liver and can raise BG readings for some time, though if exercise still continues ... then we just have to guess what happens next!
Type2 diabetes can have symptoms involving too much insulin blocked by insulin resistance, or too little insulin from a worn-out pancreas or signaling issues, or both, or other?
Jonathan57679
Posted
Hello: I am posting an update to my self treatment using Dr. Bergs information on the importance of potassium to anyone with type 2 diabetes.
I have changed the ways that I get my potassium supplementation. I do like pistachios but sometimes I miss a day or two, so I have re-discovered coconut water. A small 12 oz carton supplies around 600mg. of potassium. So, I drink 3 or 4 of those a day. I still take one or two potassium tablets with each meal. I also use coconut sugar for my coffee. I use coconut cream to make my own ice cream, using coconut water instead of milk. I still eat my dark green vegetables and and make smoothies with carrots, apples, fruit, bananas, superfood powder, etc.
Now, for my progress update: I have noticed a steady decline in my glucose levels. Two months ago my morning glucose had risen to 155 and I was concerned that I was going to go full blown diabetic soon. However, I now have hope that I can do something positive.
Last night I had dinner at Kumi's, a seafood buffet I have been to many times. But, they also have a dessert bar, and that usually means high glucose readings for 12 hours. However, with my potassium treatment, I tested at 4 hours after dinner, expecting 180 to 250, I was shocked and happy to get 133. That is a first for me.
I have not changed anything else in my diet or medications, so I am sure it is the potassium. I hope my experience will motivate others to give this treatment a try.