Posted by Mary Ann on January 22, 2004 at 09:29:14:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Pain troubles posted by Steve Dedman on January 21, 2004 at 14:01:21:
That is asssuming the banana actually has some potassium in it.
But there is another factor to the twitching, while I agree about the potassium deficiency part. Bananas have the effect of acidizing your system, which also causes muscle cramps, so eating a bunch of bananas can actually make the condition worse. Someone who has these symptoms may have a malabsorption problem (as I do) that does not allow him to absorb what small quantities of minerals are in the food.
And I don't advocate random or blanket supplementation, either, because over-intake of minerals can be dangerous. The web site that I put the url in for is of an MD who customizes supplements based on attaining normal blood levels, rather than "take some of this" which is what you usually hear. It worked for me, in spades. I'm not usually one who will automatically say "see a doctor" but in this case the problem may be so complex as to not have a simple solution such as "eat more bananas" or "take a mineral supplement." And seeing just any old doctor is unlikely to offer a true solution. The guy I see specializes in nutritional/metabolic medicine.
For me....muscle twitching and racing-mind-insomnia are allievated by a whopping potassium supplement taken with each meal. Muscle pain is relieved by a magnesium supplement. Both are taken in the exact dose (unique to me) that brings _my_ blood level to normal. I take several other minerals in customized doses too, for other problems that this poster did not mention.
MA