[Potassium metabolism in diabetes mellitus]

A method of radiometry of the whole body in the low-background chamber was applied to the study of the content of total potassium (by K40) in the organism of 67 patients suffering from diabetes mellitus of various severity and in 76 healthy individuals. there was revealed a marked reduction of the total potassium level in diabetics. The more severe the diabetes--the greater the potassium deficiency. Total potassium level had a tendency to normalization after treatment with insulin, potassium salts and vitamins.