Potassium in supplements comes in many different forms— a common form is potassium chloride, but other forms used in supplements are potassium citrate, potassium phosphate, potassium aspartate, potassium bicarbonate, and potassium gluconate. Research has not shown that any form of potassium is better than the others.
Potassium gluconate has a high absorption rate of 94%, making it suitable for "quick" demands such as leg cramps or blood pressure control. A doctor may prescribe potassium chloride to treat hypokalemia or low potassium levels.
Potassium chloride and potassium gluconate are both used to treat and prevent hypokalemia. However, potassium gluconate contains less elemental potassium than potassium chloride. Potassium citrate is used for kidney stones, not hypokalemia.
You can take potassium supplements every day if your doctor has advised you to do so. However, since too much potassium can cause health issues or complicate an existing condition, you should only take potassium supplements under the guidance of a doctor.
To start with, you're much better off getting potassium from foods instead of potassium supplements. Many fruits and vegetables are rich in potassium, including spinach, sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, bananas, and avocado. Potassium-rich diets help control blood pressure and have been linked to a lower risk of stroke.
Low blood potassium typically occurs because of an excessive loss of potassium in your digestive tract. This may be due to frequent vomiting, diarrhea or laxative use. Other causes of hypokalemia include: Eating disorders, such as bulimia nervosa.
For example, potassium decreases urinary calcium excretion and increases body calcium balance, probably by increasing renal calcium resorption. Magnesium administration, concomitant with potassium, assists tissue replenishment of potassium.
People who take ACE inhibitors, potassium-sparing diuretics, or a trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole antibiotic (Bactrim, Septra) should not take potassium.
You should not use potassium gluconate if: you have high levels of potassium in your blood; or. you also take a potassium-sparing diuretic such as amiloride, eplerenone, spironolactone, or triamterene.
Antacids and insulin are additional medications that can interfere with potassium absorption. Certain medications, such as ACE inhibitors, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and beta-blockers, can have the opposite effect and raise potassium levels.
Many randomized trials have shown that potassium chloride supplementation lowers blood pressure.
Potassium and your diet
The recommended potassium intake for an average adult is 4,700 milligrams (mg) per day. Many of the elements of the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet — fruits, vegetables, fat-free or low-fat (1 percent) dairy foods and fish — are good natural sources of potassium.
taking daily potassium supplements. eating more foods rich in potassium, such as fruits and vegetables. taking medications that can increase potassium levels in the body, such as angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers.
Taking potassium supplements can usually correct the problem. In severe cases, without proper treatment, a severe drop in potassium level can lead to serious heart rhythm problems that can be fatal.
As we've mentioned, most Americans are deficient in potassium, and two whole bananas a day won't provide your full RDA. You'd need to eat 7 or 8 bananas to get enough daily potassium from that source alone. However, too much potassium is just as dangerous as too little – it can destroy your heart muscle, for one.
Oral potassium tablets typically contain around 12 mmol of potassium and should be administered with food to reduce their alimentary side effects, which include nausea and vomiting. This is equivalent to one medium banana.
Low potassium (hypokalemia) has many causes. The most common cause is excessive potassium loss in urine due to prescription medications that increase urination. Also known as water pills or diuretics, these types of medications are often prescribed for people who have high blood pressure or heart disease.
In potassium depleted muscle, the lack of potassium prevents adequate widening of blood vessels, resulting in decreased muscle blood flow, cramps and the destruction of skeletal muscle.
A low potassium level has many causes but usually results from vomiting, diarrhea, adrenal gland disorders, or use of diuretics. A low potassium level can make muscles feel weak, cramp, twitch, or even become paralyzed, and abnormal heart rhythms may develop.