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People with certain medical conditions, such as kidney disease or a gastrointestinal disease that causes vomiting and diarrhea, or people who take medications such as diuretics that cause excessive potassium loss may need potassium supplements to prevent deficiency.
“The only people who would benefit from taking potassium supplements are those with a deficiency that has been verified with a blood draw or those who may be at high risk of deficiency,” says Jessica Shapiro, a registered dietitian at Montefiore Einstein Advanced Care in New York. “Low potassium alone is rarely caused by low dietary intake, and the underlying cause of low potassium levels should be identified.”
“Individuals with a demonstrated potassium deficiency or hypokalemia can benefit from potassium supplements,” says Los Angeles-based Kien Vuu, M.D., founder of Vuu MD Performance and Longevity, a consulting firm.
According to Dr. Vuu, for individuals with potassium deficiency, potassium supplements may:
- Help maintain electrolyte balance. Potassium plays a critical role in maintaining the electrical balance of cells, which is vital for nerve function and muscle contractions.
- Reduce blood pressure. Getting enough potassium can help the blood vessels dilate and excrete sodium, potentially lowering blood pressure.
- Support bone health. Some research suggests potassium can neutralize acids that strip the body of calcium, helping maintain bone mineral density.
- Reduce risk of stroke. Higher potassium intake is associated with a decreased risk of stroke.
Types of Potassium Supplements
Dietary supplements often contain potassium in the form of potassium chloride. However, potassium supplements come in many forms, including:
- Potassium chloride. Similar in taste to sodium chloride, or table salt, potassium chloride can be used to season food without the added sodium.
- Potassium citrate. A potassium salt of citric acid, potassium citrate is used to make urine less acidic and helps treat a kidney stone condition known as renal tubular acidosis.
- Potassium phosphate. This potassium salt of phosphate makes urine more acidic and can be used to treat low phosphate levels.
- Potassium aspartate. Widely used as an electrolyte supplement, potassium aspartate is the potassium salt of aspartic acid, a nonessential amino acid.
- Potassium bicarbonate. In addition to treating low potassium levels, this alkaline potassium salt of carbonic acid is used as an over-the-counter antacid.
- Potassium gluconate. This potassium salt of gluconic acid is classified as a food additive by the FDA and is an effective supplement for treating low potassium.
Potassium Supplement Dosage
The adequate intake of potassium from all sources is between 2,600 milligrams and 3,400 milligrams daily for people at least 18 years old depending on their sex and whether they’re pregnant or lactating. However, people in the U.S. don’t typically consume recommended amounts of potassium from foods alone.
Most potassium supplements contain up to 99 milligrams of potassium. Supplements containing more than 99 milligrams of potassium are associated with small bowel lesions and considered unsafe by the Food and Drug Administration.
High-dose potassium supplements may damage the gut and increase risk of potassium toxicity, medically known as hyperkalemia, says Shapiro. “Higher doses of potassium can be prescribed by a [health care] provider but should be closely monitored.”
“It’s crucial to follow a health care provider’s recommendation and not exceed the set upper limit, as excessive potassium can be harmful,” reiterates Dr. Vuu.
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