Does Potassium Deficiency Correlate to Cancer?

Cancer is a dreaded disease that spreads throughout the body by multiplication of abnormal cells. These abnormal cells attack good tissue within the body, in turn allowing a severe sickness to progress. A medical doctor, and researcher, named Max Gerson, MD., discovered around the 1950’s one reason why cancer is potentially triggered: potassium deficiency.

While studying the effects of electrolytes, like potassium, in the body, Gerson found that most cancer patients had severe potassium deficiencies. This little fact led Gerson and others to inquire more information as to why such levels were so low in the bodies of cancer patients. What Gerson and his colleagues found is that low potassium levels contribute to improper cellular functions. Therefore, if a cancer patient would like to fight cancer, they would need to have proper cellular function, leading Gerson to believe a higher potassium intake to be necessary.

Later research was conducted, and three things were found of cells that were potentially cancerous/toxic. First, the healthy cells that are targeted lost potassium. Then, those cells, in turn, accepted more salt (sodium). Finally, the cells would try to combat such deficiencies of potassium and additives of sodium by swelling with an abnormal amount of water. This process made such cells extremely vulnerable to diseases such as cancer and other potential toxic illnesses. And, with that, normal functioning of cells within the body becomes abnormal. With these cells no longer having the energy and necessities to fight off the infectious/diseased cells, due to lack of electrolytes such as potassium, cancer is left to take over and have its way with the body.

However, there are signs of potassium deficiency to look out for. To start, people must know that the normal average adult intake of potassium should be approximately 5,000 mg/day, and the normal average child intake of potassium should be approximately 3,000 mg/day. Anything short of that could produce symptoms such as fatigue and/or weakness within the body and muscles, constipation and difficulty having normal bowel movements, muscle cramps throughout the body, and quite possibly, an irregular heartbeat.

Such symptoms as named above can happen in all people, not only cancer patients. But, cancer patients need electrolytes like potassium to help fight off those toxic cancer cells.

Cancer patients actually have a lot more issues to look out for, such as worsening potassium related deficiency diseases. Such diseases are known as hypercalcemia where high levels of calcium are found in the blood, and tumor lysis syndrome, where cancer cells start spilling contents after they destruct to cause an electrolyte imbalance. If either of these conditions are not treated, symptoms such as seizures, problems with kidneys, and death may occur.

Unfortunately, most Americans are potassium deficient. If you have any of the symptoms mentioned above (fatigue, constipation, muscle cramps, irregular heartbeat), go see your primary care physician and request an electrolyte balance test. For an at home, natural way to increase potassium levels, incorporate more nuts, salmon, squash, and broccoli into your normal diet. Taking control of your potassium levels through healthier foods is the first step in maintaining your electrolyte balance. Plus, having efficient potassium levels within the body gives you a better chance at warding off those nasty cancer-causing cells.