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| well as potassium, can become crucial. The drugs cisplatin, cyclophosphamide, vinblastine, bleomycin, cyclosporin, and taxol cause hypomagnesemia. Magnesium supplementation (magnesium orotate is preferred), with or without potassium, is important when taking these drugs and for some time afterward as well. Magnesium also works as a natural laxative. Low magnesium levels are also clearly related with increased risk of heart disease mortality. |
| Cisplatin and Hypomagnesemia |
| Cisplatin therapy may cause hypomagnesemia through renal tubular magnesium wasting, which may in turn cause neuromuscular irritability, weakness, confusion, seizures, and ventricular arrhythmias. In one study, twenty-three patients being treated with a cisplatin-based adjuvant chemotherapeutic regimen were randomly given either magnesium aspartate hydrochloride through all cycles of chemotherapy or intermittently, whenever their serum magnesium levels dropped. Of the intermittent magnesium-supplemented patients, 89 percent had to receive magnesium supplementation by the third cycle of chemotherapy, when similar dosages of magnesium were given to both groups. These results confirm that there is a high incidence of hypomagnesemia in cisplatin-treated patients. By the fourth cycle of chemotherapy, all patients had had episodes of hypomagnesemia. I recommend a continual supplementation of magnesium aspartate hydrochloride during cisplatin therapy. 44 |
| Potassium Iodide and Tumor Growth |
| In a mice model, animals receiving potassium iodide orally m block the thyroid gland against radioactive iodine displayed slower tumor growth than mice not receiving potassium iodide. It is thought that potassium iodide has an effect on pituitary function mediated through the thyroid gland. This leads to decreased estrogen production in the body due to the inhibition of follicle-stimulating function and stimulation of luteinizing function of the pituitary. The iodine may also change hormonal actions within the tumor.45 |
| Potassium iodide was used by the Eclectic physicians for a wide range of ailments involving glandular swelling such as swollen spleen or liver, large lymphatic glands, goiter, or syphilis. The specific indication for potassium |
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