Is this hogwash? ( potassium chloride )

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 12/3/01 8:03:46 PM Pacific Standard Time, wayne

writes:

 

> Still Searching for the magic ( and cheap ) potassium pill !

>

 

Potassium aspartate might be cheaper when you consider it's absorption.

 

Starris

[Guest guest]

Still Searching for the magic ( and cheap ) potassium pill !

 

 

========= from someplace in outer space ===================

 

 

There is a common (I hesitate to say " popular " ) salt substitute called

NoSalt that consists of the compound potassium chloride (which is indeed a

salt, but not a sodium-based one). This compound is used in other salt

substitutes as well. Curiously, this very same compound has been used on

several occasions by Dr. Jack Kevorkian for euthanasia (including, if I am

not mistaken, his most recent, televised one) and also in executions. It

works by stopping the heart.

 

 

Admittedly this is a sensitive question--we don't want to give anyone

ideas--but I cannot resist the natural query: how much NoSalt would one

have to consume (orally) to experience cardiac arrest? The makers of NoSalt

do not volunteer this information on the package. And why did Kevorkian

resort to carbon monoxide when he lost his license and could no longer

procure drugs, when presumably all he'd need to do was go to the grocery

store, buy some NoSalt, mix it in some water, and inject it (or maybe just

fix a large quantity of NoSalted pretzels)? --Eric Ewanco, Framingham,

Massachusetts

 

Cecil replies:

 

Very funny, Eric. At first I thought it was funny too. Imagine the hint

from Heloise: " Trying to euthanize grandma and discover you're fresh out of

lethal chemicals? Not to worry! Grab some salt substitute, and in no time

she'll be stiff as a board, " yuk yuk yuk.

Then I pulled out a few reports of deaths and near misses involving

potassium chloride and did some math. You know what? The amount of salt

substitute needed to kill somebody, or at least put him in some serious

hurt, is surprisingly small. Some cases from the medical journals:

· An infant went into cardiac arrest after being fed a mixture of

grits and salt substitute by his five-year-old sibling. He was revived and

eventually recovered. Amount of salt substitute in the grits (not all of

which were consumed): less than a tablespoon.

· A 75-year-old woman with a bad heart began using Morton Lite Salt,

a mixture of potassium chloride and ordinary salt (sodium chloride), on the

advice of her daughter. Within a few weeks she experienced shortness of

breath and swollen ankles, and eventually she was taken to the emergency

room and treated for congestive heart failure.

· A woman attempted suicide by swallowing 100 potassium chloride

tablets. She went into a coma and despite treatment died after two weeks.

Total consumption of potassium chloride: 60 grams. Equivalent in commercial

salt substitute, assuming a typical mixture of 90 percent potassium

chloride: 11 teaspoons.

· Another woman taking potassium chloride tablets for a medical

condition began using them whenever she felt weak or tired. One evening she

began suffering from diarrhea. She was told to stop taking the pills but

was found dead the next morning. An autopsy revealed she'd consumed 47

tablets.

· A mother, following the instructions in Adelle Davis's book Let's

Have Healthy Children (1972), fed her infant about three-quarters of a

teaspoon of potassium chloride mixed with her breast milk. The child stopped

breathing and though rushed to the hospital died after 28 hours.

 

Conclusion: You don't have to swallow a whole lot of potassium chloride, as

a salt substitute or otherwise, to have big-time problems.

 

That said, reports of deaths or close calls due to ingesting potassium

chloride are rare. Children and people with medical problems are most at

risk. The NoSalt label includes the warning " Persons having diabetes, heart

or kidney disease, or persons receiving medical treatment should consult a

physician before using a salt alternative or substitute. " But the label

also says, " Recommended for salt or sodium-restricted diets . . . dietary

reduction of sodium may help in reducing high blood pressure. " It goes on

to offer a " suggested lifestyle modification for management of high blood

pressure, " which to me suggests that consumers are being urged to

self-medicate.

 

The label on Morton Salt Substitute is clearer: " Consult physician before

using any salt substitute. " However they label it, the fact that you can

buy this stuff in the spice section of the supermarket has gotta give you

pause.

 

As for Dr. Kevorkian, potassium chloride was only one of several drugs

administered by his " suicide machine. " He also used a sedative and a muscle

relaxant to calm the patient, neither of which was available at Safeway.

Presumably he switched to carbon monoxide to avoid the spectacle of an

unsedated, twitching death.

--CECIL ADAMS

 

Wayne Fugitt

---------------------------

Cancer....................: www.fugitt.com/cancer.htm

Uncensored News....: www.fugitt.com/newslink.htm

Biological Warfare....: www.fugitt.com/bio_war.htm

Night Vision............: www.fugitt.com/night.htm

Sugars...................: www.fugitt.com/sugars.htm

Trailmix Nutrition.....: www.fugitt.com/trailmix.htm

 

“Let thy food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food.” Hippocrates

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Potassium is not allowed to be sold in large amounts because

it can be harmful in large doses. I do believe that's why

you tend to find 99mg size (or whatever it is.)

 

Supposedly we can get a lot of potassium from th diet.

Tuna, and avocados are two good sources. I will look to

find my list if potassium rich foods. i occasioally use

Morton lite salt to up potassium, though have recently

switched to sea salt, tuna and avocados.

 

Ken

 

 

 

 

 

Still Searching for the magic ( and cheap ) potassium pill !

 

 

========= from someplace in outer space ===================

 

 

There is a common (I hesitate to say " popular " ) salt

substitute called

NoSalt that consists of the compound potassium chloride

(which is indeed a

salt, but not a sodium-based one). This compound is used in

other salt

substitutes as well. Curiously, this very same compound has

been used on

several occasions by Dr. Jack Kevorkian for euthanasia

(including, if I am

not mistaken, his most recent, televised one) and also in

executions. It

works by stopping the heart.

 

 

Admittedly this is a sensitive question--we don't want to

give anyone

ideas--but I cannot resist the natural query: how much

NoSalt would one

have to consume (orally) to experience cardiac arrest? The

makers of NoSalt

do not volunteer this information on the package. And why

did Kevorkian

resort to carbon monoxide when he lost his license and could

no longer

procure drugs, when presumably all he'd need to do was go to

the grocery

store, buy some NoSalt, mix it in some water, and inject it

(or maybe just

fix a large quantity of NoSalted pretzels)? --Eric Ewanco,

Framingham,

Massachusetts

 

Cecil replies:

 

Very funny, Eric. At first I thought it was funny too.

Imagine the hint

from Heloise: " Trying to euthanize grandma and discover

you're fresh out of

lethal chemicals? Not to worry! Grab some salt substitute,

and in no time

she'll be stiff as a board, " yuk yuk yuk.

Then I pulled out a few reports of deaths and near misses

involving

potassium chloride and did some math. You know what? The

amount of salt

substitute needed to kill somebody, or at least put him in

some serious

hurt, is surprisingly small. Some cases from the medical

journals:

· An infant went into cardiac arrest after being fed a

mixture of

grits and salt substitute by his five-year-old sibling. He

was revived and

eventually recovered. Amount of salt substitute in the grits

(not all of

which were consumed): less than a tablespoon.

· A 75-year-old woman with a bad heart began using

Morton Lite Salt,

a mixture of potassium chloride and ordinary salt (sodium

chloride), on the

advice of her daughter. Within a few weeks she experienced

shortness of

breath and swollen ankles, and eventually she was taken to

the emergency

room and treated for congestive heart failure.

· A woman attempted suicide by swallowing 100

potassium chloride

tablets. She went into a coma and despite treatment died

after two weeks.

Total consumption of potassium chloride: 60 grams.

Equivalent in commercial

salt substitute, assuming a typical mixture of 90 percent

potassium

chloride: 11 teaspoons.

· Another woman taking potassium chloride tablets for

a medical

condition began using them whenever she felt weak or tired.

One evening she

began suffering from diarrhea. She was told to stop taking

the pills but

was found dead the next morning. An autopsy revealed she'd

consumed 47

tablets.

· A mother, following the instructions in Adelle

Davis's book Let's

Have Healthy Children (1972), fed her infant about

three-quarters of a

teaspoon of potassium chloride mixed with her breast milk.

The child stopped

breathing and though rushed to the hospital died after 28

hours.

 

Conclusion: You don't have to swallow a whole lot of

potassium chloride, as

a salt substitute or otherwise, to have big-time problems.

 

That said, reports of deaths or close calls due to ingesting

potassium

chloride are rare. Children and people with medical problems

are most at

risk. The NoSalt label includes the warning " Persons having

diabetes, heart

or kidney disease, or persons receiving medical treatment

should consult a

physician before using a salt alternative or substitute. "

But the label

also says, " Recommended for salt or sodium-restricted diets

.. . . dietary

reduction of sodium may help in reducing high blood

pressure. " It goes on

to offer a " suggested lifestyle modification for management

of high blood

pressure, " which to me suggests that consumers are being

urged to

self-medicate.

 

The label on Morton Salt Substitute is clearer: " Consult

physician before

using any salt substitute. " However they label it, the fact

that you can

buy this stuff in the spice section of the supermarket has

gotta give you

pause.

 

As for Dr. Kevorkian, potassium chloride was only one of

several drugs

administered by his " suicide machine. " He also used a

sedative and a muscle

relaxant to calm the patient, neither of which was available

at Safeway.

Presumably he switched to carbon monoxide to avoid the

spectacle of an

unsedated, twitching death.

--CECIL ADAMS

 

Wayne Fugitt

---------------------------

Cancer....................: www.fugitt.com/cancer.htm

Uncensored News....: www.fugitt.com/newslink.htm

Biological Warfare....: www.fugitt.com/bio_war.htm

Night Vision............: www.fugitt.com/night.htm

Sugars...................: www.fugitt.com/sugars.htm

Trailmix Nutrition.....: www.fugitt.com/trailmix.htm

 

“Let thy food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy

food.” Hippocrates

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Wayne Fugitt wrote:

 

Still Searching for the magic ( and cheap ) potassium pill !

 

Dear Wayne & Other Members of this group:

 

What about Potassium Gluconate? Is that as

dangerous as Potassium Chloride?

 

With warm regards,

Esther

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Dear Esther Wiechman,

Potassium is not dangerous to anyone with reasonably intact

kidneys in any non poisonous form. The times when potassium becomes

dangerous are as follows;

1. During severe dehydration.

2. In pill form when it used to be able to perforate the intestines

as an enteric fast release tablet.

3. If more than 70 or 80% of your kidneys have been destroyed.

4. Eaten suddenly in overwhelming amounts, say 10 grams at once (You

will gag unless you dilute it with a quart of water or so).

5. When injected directly in to the blood stream in sufficient

amounts.

For the rest of us creatures it is less dangerous than riding in a

car, and much less dangerous than entering a sky scraper building in

a country despised by Bin Laden. And on those very rare occasions

when you do go, it is infinately better than cancer, say, and much

less ignoble than being shot by a jealous husband.

Potassium gluconate should be less easily absorbed than the

chloride, probably about the same as food (which last I recommend).

When afflicted by the above dangers I suspect that it is about the

same as other forms, but know of no crisp experiments.

Sincerely, Charles Weber]