How Potassium and Magnesium Healed My Atrial Fibrillation

A Personal Report by Dwight Kalita, PhD

Atrial fibrillation (A-fib) is a worldwide epidemic affecting 37 million people, and its rising prevalence will most certainly account for increasing public health costs. I am 76 years old and have had A-fib for almost 10 years. During that time various cardiologists gave me 2 ablations and 5 cardioversions, but the A-fib always returned. I have been on numerous drugs, all of which caused serious side effects and none of which ever cured my A-fib.

From 11/3/2022 to 11/10/22, my heart monitor recorded a 6% burden of A-fib episodes with a 150 bpm maximum rate. These on-and-off episodes continued despite taking Dofetilide (antiarrhythmic) and Diltiazem (calcium channel blocker for blood pressure) since April 22, 2022.

In April, 2023 I read a European medical article “Association of IV Potassium and Magnesium Administration with Spontaneous Conversion of A-Fib in the ER Department” in JAMA Oct. 2022. After thinking about this article, I decided to see if the combined, oral administration of magnesium (Mg), potassium (K), and Dofetilide would help prevent my chronic A-fib episodes that I have experienced for almost 10 years.

I began taking the following around April 15, 2023: electrolyte powder: one scoop per day of 1000 mgs potassium citrate, 120 mgs magnesium citrate, plus very small amounts of other mineral complexes. I have been taking 500 mgs of magnesium taurate orally for 5-6 years but continued to experience on and off A-fib episodes.

When I had an episode that lasted more than 20 minutes, I took 2 grams of magnesium intravenously and that always converted me back to sinus rhythm. Then I read the above JAMA article about IV magnesium and potassium together converting ER A-fib patients in Europe so I began taking both nutrients orally. That oral combo nutrient program of magnesium and potassium is what really eliminated my A-fib!

Within one week of taking the abovementioend mineral supplements with Dofetilide, my heart palpitations and A-fib episodes disappeared. My two EKG “sinus” reports since beginning K and Mg supplements confirm this observation as well as home-Kardia monitoring. I have also not needed to take any 2-gram magnesium IV treatments to convert my A-fib episodes since I have not had any episodes for the last 6 months.

I eliminated Diltiazem because of stomach pain and diarrhea side effects; but my blood pressure has actually improved since the introduction of the K1000 potassium supplement.

My quarterly blood work measuring Mg/K remains within normal levels since beginning the mineral supplementation program. My local cardiologist as well as one at the Cleveland Clinic both approve of my new drug/nutrient treatment plan. And best of all since beginning this treatment plan, I have had no side effects and no more A-fib episodes whatsoever.

It is now very clear to me that my 76-year-old heart cells need extra magnesium/potassium supplementation in order to live a life free of the very debilitating disease called atrial fibrillation.

(Readers may contact Dwight Kalita at dkalita@embarqmail.com)

Related reading:

Khan AM, Lubitz SA, Sullivan LM, et al. Low Serum Magnesium and the Development of Atrial Fibrillation in the Community: The Framingham Heart Study. Circulation. 2013; 127 (1): 33-38. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3541701/

Dean C. Atrial Fibrillation: Remineralize Your Heart, 2015. https://drcarolyndean.com/ https://www.drcarolyndean.net/introducing-atrial-fibrillation-remineralize-your-heart-by-dr-carolyn-dean/

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