Inability of healthy subjects to deposit potassium during hypokinesia and potassium supplementation.

Author(s): Zorbas YG, Kakuris KK, Federenko YF, Deogenov VA

Affiliation(s): Hypokinetic Biochemistry Laboratory, Sofia, Bulgaria.

Publication date & source: 2009-02-01, Clin Invest Med., 32(1):E34-42.

Publication type: Randomized Controlled Trial

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of potassium (K+) supplementation and hypokinesia (HK; diminished movement) on muscle K+ content and K+ loss. METHODS: Studies were conducted on 40 healthy male volunteers during a pre-experimental period of 30 days and an experimental-period of 364 days. Volunteers were equally divided into four groups: unsupplemented control subjects (UCS), unsupplemented experimental subjects (UES), supplemented control subjects (SCS), and supplemented experimental subjects (SES). A daily supplement of 1.17 mmol potassium-chloride (KCl) per kg body weight was given to the subjects in the SCS and SES groups. RESULTS: Muscle K+ content decreased (P < 0.05), and plasma K+ concentration, and K+ loss in urine and feces increased (P < 0.05) in the SES and UES groups compared with their pre-experimental levels and the values in their respective control groups (SCS and UCS). Muscle K+ content decreased more (P < 0.05), and plasma K+ concentration and K+ loss in urine and feces increased more (P < 0.05) in the SES group than in the UES group. CONCLUSION: Muscle K+ content is not decreased by the K+ deficient diet and K+ loss is not increased by the higher muscle K+ content in the body. Rather it is caused by the inability of the body to use K+ during HK and K+ supplementation.