Can low potassium affect blood sugar? Dr. Ben Bikman's new video, "Could Low Potassium Be Raising Your Blood Sugar?", reached about 72,000 views in four days, roughly twice his usual pace. At the same time, keto, fasting and carnivore posts on X jumped about 55% this week, and Google interest in intermittent fasting is running above normal. Many people cutting carbs or skipping meals are now asking a fair question: does the mineral side of the diet matter too?
AJTV is an independent fan-affiliate guide. This is general information, not medical advice. Nothing here suggests that potassium, electrolytes, or any product can lower blood sugar or prevent, treat, or cure diabetes, insulin resistance, or any other condition. Any amounts below are official intake guidelines or study protocols, not recommendations. If you have diabetes, kidney problems, or take blood-pressure or diabetes medication, talk to your doctor before adding potassium or starting a fast.
Key takeaways
- Researchers have long known that potassium plays a role in how the pancreas releases insulin.
- In a large US study, adults with lower blood potassium were more likely to develop type 2 diabetes. That is an association, not proof of cause.
- A small 2017 pilot trial of potassium supplements in adults with prediabetes found a modest difference in fasting glucose, but no difference in most other glucose measures.
- Fasting and very low-carb eating increase the loss of sodium and other electrolytes in urine, especially in the first days.
- Too much potassium can be dangerous for some people, so this is not a do-it-yourself fix.
Why "low potassium blood sugar" is trending
Two waves met this week. Bikman's video framed potassium as an overlooked factor in blood sugar, and X conversation about insulin resistance rose about 25%. Google's suggestions show what people want to know: "can low potassium cause high blood sugar," "does potassium affect insulin," "does fasting affect electrolytes," and "do electrolytes break a fast."
What potassium has to do with insulin
Potassium is the main mineral inside your cells and is needed for nerve, muscle, and heart function. Researchers have also linked it to insulin. In their 2010 paper, Johns Hopkins researchers (Chatterjee et al.) noted that serum potassium levels affect insulin secretion by the beta cells of the pancreas.
The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements lists high blood sugar as one possible effect of more severe hypokalemia (very low blood potassium), along with muscle weakness and irregular heartbeat. For everyday intake, the agency is more cautious. It says low potassium intake might raise blood sugar over time, and that more research is needed.
The evidence, study by study
The ARIC study (2010): an association in 12,209 adults
The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study followed 12,209 US adults. Over nine years of in-person follow-up, 1,475 developed diabetes. The comparison group had high-normal serum potassium (5.0 to 5.5 mEq/L). Compared with them, people with levels below 4.0 had about 1.64 times the risk of developing diabetes. The 4.0 to 4.5 group also had about 1.64 times the risk, and the 4.5 to 5.0 group about 1.39 times. These results were adjusted for other factors. Dietary potassium was linked to diabetes risk in the unadjusted numbers, but most of that link disappeared after adjustment.
What it means: lower blood potassium tracked with higher diabetes risk. However, an observational study cannot show that low potassium causes diabetes, or that raising potassium prevents it.
Diuretics and blood sugar (2006 review)
Early clues came from blood-pressure medicine: thiazide diuretics can lower blood potassium. In 2006, Zillich and colleagues reviewed 59 clinical trials of these drugs in the journal Hypertension. Across the trials, larger drops in potassium went with larger rises in blood glucose. The authors suggested that correcting diuretic-induced low potassium might help with the glucose problem. If you take a diuretic, any potassium changes belong with your prescriber.
A small potassium trial in prediabetes (2017)
The best direct test so far is small. Chatterjee and colleagues at Duke ran a double-blind pilot trial in 29 African-American adults with prediabetes, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Participants took 40 mEq of potassium chloride a day or a placebo for three months. That study dose is a common prescription amount, given under medical supervision.
The results were mixed:
- Fasting glucose stayed roughly stable in the potassium group (−1.1 mg/dL) and rose in the placebo group (+6.1 mg/dL).
- There was no significant difference in glucose or insulin during a glucose-tolerance test, or in HbA1c.
- Blood potassium itself did not rise significantly.
The authors called for larger trials. One pilot study is a reason to keep studying potassium, not proof that supplements improve blood sugar.
Why keto and fasting change your electrolytes
When you fast or cut carbs sharply, insulin falls and the kidneys release more sodium and water. A 1975 study in the Journal of Clinical Investigation described large losses of electrolytes and water in the urine during the first week of fasting, a pattern known as the "natriuresis of fasting." Sodium was the main mineral lost.
A 2023 paper in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism (Belany et al.) noted that ketogenic diets cause a similar increase in sodium loss. If that sodium isn't replaced, it can reduce circulating fluid volume and bring dizziness, fatigue, and weakness. Many people call that cluster "keto flu." The research describes the mechanism, but it doesn't show that any particular drink or mix prevents or cures it.
The practical point is to pay attention to sodium, potassium, and fluids when you change how you eat. Potassium-rich whole foods are the first place to look: avocados, leafy greens, squash, nuts, yogurt, meat, and fish.
How much potassium is "enough"?
The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements lists these Adequate Intakes from all sources combined:
- Adult men: 3,400 mg per day
- Adult women: 2,600 mg per day
These are population guidelines, not personal targets. The same fact sheet notes that most Americans fall short through diet alone, and that most over-the-counter potassium supplements contain no more than 99 mg per serving.
Who should be careful with potassium
According to the NIH, people with chronic kidney disease and people taking ACE inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, or potassium-sparing diuretics can develop dangerously high potassium (hyperkalemia), even from normal food intake. Salt substitutes often contain potassium chloride, so they carry the same risk. Loop and thiazide diuretics have the opposite effect and can push potassium too low.
Fasting is a separate concern for anyone on insulin or other glucose-lowering drugs, because doses may need adjusting. If any of this applies to you, plan changes to fasting, keto, or electrolytes with your doctor.
Where to buy
If you want a simple way to add fluids and electrolytes to your water, AJTV covers Optimal Human Hydration Drink Mix. The official product page describes it as a clean, sugar-free mix built to actually hydrate, not just flavor your water.* Check the label at the official store for its full electrolyte list and serving size, and remember that it is not a potassium treatment. You can browse all AJTV products. Pairing low-carb eating with strength training? See our guide to creatine after 50.
Purchases are completed on the official store at TheAlexJonesStore.com/AJTV.
Sources
- Chatterjee R, et al. Serum and dietary potassium and risk of incident type 2 diabetes mellitus: the ARIC study. Arch Intern Med. 2010;170(19):1745–1751. PMC3469719
- Zillich AJ, et al. Thiazide diuretics, potassium, and the development of diabetes: a quantitative review. Hypertension. 2006;48(2):219–224. doi:10.1161/01.HYP.0000231552.10054.aa
- Chatterjee R, et al. Effects of potassium supplements on glucose metabolism in African Americans with prediabetes: a pilot trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 2017;106(6):1431–1438. PMC5698842
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Potassium: Fact Sheet for Consumers. ods.od.nih.gov
- Sigler MH. The mechanism of the natriuresis of fasting. J Clin Invest. 1975;55(2):377–387. doi:10.1172/jci107941
- Belany P, et al. Effects of hypocaloric low-fat, ketogenic, and ketogenic and ketone supplement diets on aldosterone and renin. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2023;108(7):1727. PMC10271230
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. This article is for general information only and is not medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before starting any supplement, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, take medication, or have a medical condition. AJTV is an independent fan-affiliate site, not the official Alex Jones store.