Blood potassium levels can give some indication of potassium status, but they cannot indicate what the stores are like inside the cells. In otherwise healthy people with normal kidney function, abnormally low or high levels of potassium in the blood are rare.
However, certain factors can decrease potassium levels. Keto diets are high fat, low carbohydrate, moderate protein diets. Some people follow a keto diet to assist with weight loss. Doctors may also recommend these diets for people with the following conditions:. The keto diet increases the acidic environment of the body. This can trigger a condition called metabolic acidosis MA , in which the blood becomes too acidic. This can lead to kidney problems and a loss of bone mineral density.
One study suggests that oral potassium citrate supplementation may prevent the risk of MA in children following a keto diet. The researchers suggest that potassium citrate acts as an alkalizing agent to counteract the potential for MA.
Further studies are necessary to determine whether or not everyone following a keto diet should take a potassium citrate supplement. It is also important to note that experiencing MA due to following a keto diet is extremely rare in people without a preexisting health condition.
Most dietary supplements contain potassium salts. A potassium salt is a combination of potassium and one or more other elements. Dietary potassium supplements typically contain potassium chloride. However, some contain other potassium salts, such as:. Since these different salts contain different amounts of potassium, the supplement label may show the amount of pure, or elemental, potassium in the product. Multivitamin and mineral supplements that contain potassium typically contain about 80 milligrams mg of elemental potassium.
Potassium-only supplements contain up to 99 mg of elemental potassium. Different supplements will contain different amounts of potassium, so people should read the individual product labels to determine the appropriate dosages.
Potassium supplements can sometimes cause minor digestive side effects. High doses of potassium can lead to high potassium levels, or hyperkalemia. However, this condition is rare among people with healthy kidney function, as the kidneys will excrete any excess potassium from the body.
People with impaired kidney function may experience hyperkalemia if they take in too much potassium. Hyperkalemia can cause the following symptoms:.
Before taking a potassium supplement, a person should speak with a doctor. Most cases of hypokalemia are not solely due to a lack of potassium intake, so it is important to identify and treat the underlying cause of the hypokalemia.
If a person is considering taking a potassium supplement, they should ask their doctor or pharmacist for advice on dosage. The sections below will outline three such products. Please note that the writer of this article has not tried any of these products.
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Freshly: A Dietitian's Honest Comparison. But such diets also tend to be lower in sodium and contain other healthful nutrients, which may contribute to the observed blood pressure benefit. Here's where it gets a little confusing. Many blood pressure medications—especially the commonly prescribed class known as diuretics—can affect your potassium level.
But while some diuretics tend to lower potassium levels, others have the opposite effect. So can common painkillers such as ibuprofen Advil, Motrin or naproxen Aleve.
Keeping your blood potassium level in the correct range is important, because this mineral also plays a key role in the function of nerves and muscles, including heart muscle. Your kidneys help regulate potassium levels in your blood. But age, diabetes, heart failure, and certain other conditions may impair kidney function. As a result, potassium levels can rise to high levels, leading to dangerous heart rhythm problems and even cardiac arrest.
Because of this potential danger, the FDA limits over-the-counter potassium supplements including multivitamin-mineral pills to less than milligrams mg. You'd have to take lots of potassium supplements to get close to that amount—another reason to get the nutrient from your diet.
However, grocery stores carry salt substitutes that may contain much higher amounts of potassium. People trying to curb their sodium intake may try these products. A mere one-quarter teaspoon of one brand contains about mg of potassium. If you take a potassium-sparing diuretic, such as spironolactone, you should avoid salt substitutes and limit high-potassium foods.
However, if you take a diuretic that depletes potassium levels, such as hydrochlorothiazide or furosemide, your doctor may prescribe extended-release potassium tablets, which contain to mg of the mineral. And if you take any diuretic or ACE inhibitor, ask your doctor whether you need periodic testing of your potassium and kidney function, to be on the safe side.
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About half of all Americans routinely take dietary supplements.
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