Intracellular vs. Serum Vitamin Levels

The body is all about survival. Even on a cellular level.

The blood delivers nutrients to the cells. The cells are protective of the serum-- the blood. It's a complex balancing act.

At a time when I was in a pancreatic crisis or gall bladder attack, the veins in my legs began to fasciculate, or twitch. I supplemented some magnesium chloride to help with smooth muscle relaxation. However, I ended up with low potassium levels. How?

Magnesium and potassium are balanced in the body. As magnesium levels increase, it drags potassium levels up, as well. In fact, some people who are potassium deficient find it more successful to supplement magnesium than high amounts of potassium.

As I supplemented magnesium, my body began to pull extra potassium from my cells. There was not enough to complete the difference, hence low potassium blood levels.

But here's the kicker-- even though the next blood test showed that my blood potassium was normal, it did NOT mean that I had enough potassium in my body. The only thing is showed was the there was enough potassium in my blood serum, but had the potassium been replaced in the cells?

Sometimes these nutrients do not get replaced.

If calcium is pulled from bone cells to  maintain calcium levels in the blood and not replaced, osteoporosis will form.

The same type of situation can develop with any nutrient.

This is why it is important to determine the cellular levels of micronutrients as well as serum levels. The balance is complex-- and extremely important for health.

All this is considered "investigational". However, researchers are actively working to prove its value in clinical care. 



More Information:

Magnesium and Potassium supplementation
Magnesium
Blue Cross/Blue Shield-- Intracellular Micronutrient Analysis
Measurement of Intracellular Vitamin C levels

Holistic Physician Visit #1

Today was my first visit with the holistic physician. He is an M.D.-- a surgeon-- who also specializes in holistic medicine. He knows lots of neat stuff about nutrition and biochemistry.I went in to speak with him about the sulfites and the recent pancreatitis/gall bladder attack. When I went in, I was very discouraged and pessimistic (and planning on surgery). Now that I am out, I have hope, ideas, plans, and feel as though he has taken a huge burden from me. Well-worth the time and money-- I wish I had gone to him in the first place. 

He plans on pursuing several avenues of care--

1-- Vitamin/mineral levels

At this point, I am so sensitive to any shift in my vitamin and mineral levels, he does not feel comfortable supplementing without some idea of where my cellular levels are. He has ordered a blood test that does not measure the vitamins in the serum, but the vitamins in the red and white blood cells themselves. 

2-- Digestive tract healing

I am to continue eating gluten and casein-free, but begin to change the focus to controlling the yeast overgrowth. I have had a long struggle with candidiasis. I am starting on a probiotic (a very weak one due to my sensitivity to everything right now). He may consider a course of Nystatin in the near future, depending on how the probiotic trial runs. 

3-- Thyroid

Though my standard thyroid profile was within normal ranges, there are few more markers that he wants to look at, specifically those related to autoimmune problems. 

4-- Pancreatic Enzymes

He thinks these, or rather the lack thereof, may be playing a role, but will deal with them after other issues are addressed. 

5-- Other issues

He said that further down the road, he may want to look at DHEA, cortisol, and other tests to see how things are functioning. 

I plan on working with him on these issues as long as the gall bladder stays quiet. Perhaps the cause of the gall bladder problems, whatever they may be, can be fixed without making surgery necessary.

I was very impressed with this doctor and his staff. The entire paradigm of care was based on nourishment and healing, instead of fixing a symptom.

More Information:

Intracellular vs. Serum Vitamin Levels