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Potassium Supplements Review

Be Careful with Potassium Supplements! Problems Found. Tests and Reviews of Potassium Supplements & CL's Top Picks

Reviewed and edited by Tod Cooperman, M.D. Tod Cooperman, M.D.

Initially Posted: 05/01/2021
Potassium Supplements reviewed by ConsumerLab.com

Alphabetical list of potassium supplement brands compared in this report

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Bluebonnet Potassium 99 mg

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BulkSupplements.com Potassium Chloride

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CVS Health Potassium Gluconate 595 mg

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Designs For Health K+2 Potassium

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H-E-B Potassium Gluconate

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Member's Mark Potassium

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Nature's Way Krebs Magnesium Potassium Complex

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NOW Potassium Chloride Powder

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Puritan's Pride Potassium 99 mg

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Rexall Potassium 99 mg

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Swanson Potassium Citrate

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TwinLab Potassium Caps

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Vitacost Potassium & Magnesium

Make sure the potassium supplement you take passed our tests and is right for you!
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Summary

  • What does potassium do?

    Potassium is a mineral and electrolyte that is essential for the proper functioning of the nervous system, skeletal system, heart, and metabolism, as well as maintaining normal blood pressure (see What It Is). Symptoms of potassium deficiency can include muscle weakness, irregular heartbeat, listlessness, mood changes, irrational behavior, nausea, and vomiting.

  • Do I need to take a potassium supplement?

    Potassium supplements are typically used only to treat or prevent potassium deficiency. Sufficient amounts of potassium can easily be obtained through the diet, but people taking certain drugs or with conditions affecting the kidneys or gut may be deficient (see What to Consider When Using). Low potassium is also common among people hospitalized with COVID-19. Supplementing with potassium may also help to reduce high blood pressure. The citrate form of potassium may also reduce the risk of kidney stones (see What It Does).

  • How much potassium should I take?

     For preventing potassium loss, potassium is often recommended at doses of 200 to 400 mg, taken 3 to 4 times daily (for a total daily dose ranging from 600 mg to 1,600 mg). For lowering blood pressure in people with hypertension, larger amounts are often used (3,000 mg per day) (see What to Consider When Using). Nearly all common forms of potassium are absorbed equally well (see What to Consider When Buying).

  • Best potassium supplement?

    As discussed in What CL Found, problems were found with potassium supplements. One could cause you to take 2.5 times as much potassium as you might expect from its label. Pills of the other product would not fully break apart within the allotted time, suggesting the ingredients might be less available for absorption. None of the products exceeded limits for contamination with heavy metals (lead, cadmium, and arsenic), unlike our findings in 2016 when we discovered a significant amount of arsenic in a potassium supplement.

    Among the products that passed testing, ConsumerLab.com chose three Top Picks.

  • Safety and side effects of potassium supplements:

     Potassium from supplements may cause diarrhea, nausea, stomach pain, mild gas and vomiting, which may be reduced by taking with meals. Less common side effects include confusion, irregular heartbeat and shortness of breath. People with kidney disease and people taking potassium-sparing diuretics, ACE inhibitors, or trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole should not take potassium supplements without medical supervision(see Concerns and Cautions).
You must be a ConsumerLab.com member to get the full test results along with ConsumerLab.com's recommendations and quality ratings of potassium supplements — including potassium-magnesium combinations. You will get results for 13 supplements — 10 selected by ConsumerLab.com and three which passed testing in our voluntary Quality Certification Program.

In this comprehensive review, you'll discover:
  • Which potassium supplements passed or failed our testing
  • CL's Top Picks among potassium supplements for quality and value
  • The pros and cons of different forms of potassium (such as potassium chloride, potassium citrate, and potassium gluconate) and dosage forms (such as pills and powders) 
  • Dosing of potassium for specific uses
  • How to avoid being misled by labels on potassium supplements  
  • Food sources of potassium  
  • Potential side-effects and concerns with potassium 

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Latest Clinical Research Updates for Potassium

Potassium and Dialysis

People on dialysis are often told to restrict potassium intake, but getting too little potassium can also be a problem according to a new study. Get the details in the Concerns and Cautions section of our Potassium Supplements Review. Also see our Top Picks for potassium supplements.

Low Potassium in COVID-19 Patients

Patients hospitalized with COVID-19 have often been found to have low potassium levels. Should you be concerned? Learn more in the COVID-19 section of the Potassium Supplements Review. Also see our Top Picks among potassium supplements.

Potassium Levels Decline

An analysis of blood samples of thousands of Americans suggests a slight decline in potassium intake. Find out what may be causing this in the update to the What It Does section of the Potassium Supplements Review. Also see our Top Picks for potassium supplements.

New Potassium Recommendations

The amount of potassium needed to achieve nutritional adequacy was officially reduced this month for all ages. Find out why and get the new recommendations in the What to Consider When Using section of the Potassium Supplements Review. Also see our Top Picks for potassium supplements.

Many Americans Not Getting Enough Potassium

Americans may not be getting enough potassium according to a new study. Get the details, plus information about how to increase your intake of potassium in the "What To Consider When Using" section of the Potassium Supplements Review >>

Related CL Answers (12)

I have low blood pressure. Are there any supplements I should avoid?

Find out which supplements can cause decreases in blood pressure, including melatonin, arginine, magnesium, and calcium.

Which supplements can help to lower blood pressure?

Supplements to lower blood pressure, including CoQ10, vitamin C, fish oil, and olive oil, are all explored to find out what works.

Supplements that can lower, or raise blood pressure -- blood pressure cuff and bottle of pills

What are the most common, potentially dangerous interactions between supplements and drugs?

Info on the most common, potentially dangerous, interactions between drugs & supplements, including Lisinopril interactions and others.

Are there any supplements I should avoid when taking an antibiotic? Are there any that may be helpful?

Find out which supplements can negatively interact with antibiotics, including vitamin K, magnesium, and calcium, and which may be helpful when taking antibiotics.

Supplement Interactions With Antibiotics -- man reading prescription bottle instructions

Can lemon juice, lemonade, or other juices reduce my chances of getting kidney stones?

Information about lemon juice, lemonade, orange juice, cranberry juice and other juices for increasing urinary citrate and reducing the risk of kidney stones.

Lemon juice for kidney stones? -- glass of lemon juice and lemons

I'm worried that I'm not getting enough potassium, but potassium supplements only provide a small dose -- much less than the daily requirement. Why is this, and how can increase my daily intake?

Find out why many potassium supplements contain small doses of potassium and how to get adequate potassium from food and supplements.

Do any supplements help reduce the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS)?

Find out which supplements help reduce premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms, such as mood swings, pain, bloating, irritability and food cravings.

Does taking a laxative interfere with the absorption of vitamins or minerals?

Information on laxative interactions with other medications and supplements such as Maalox, antibiotics, and statins and diabetes medications.

Laxatives and vitamin and mineral absorption

A tea called Throat Coat made me lethargic and I was found to have low potassium. Is this a known problem? I was drinking 5 cups a day.

Throat Coat tea information, including licorice root content, potassium loss, and symptoms such as lethargy, increased blood pressure and fluid retention. ConsumerLab.com's answer explains.

Throat Coat Tea and Potassium Loss -- box of Throat Coat tea

Do any supplements help with the coronavirus (COVID-19)? Do supplements like vitamin D, zinc, vitamin C, or herbals work?

Find out if natural remedies & supplements for coronavirus such as zinc, vitamin C, garlic, or elderberry help to prevent or treat COVID-19.

Supplements for Coronavirus (COVID-19)? -- mask and pills

Sometimes my powdered supplements get clumpy. Should I be concerned?

Learn more about how powdered supplements compare to capsules and if clumping is worrisome.

Powdered Supplements

My doctor told me to stop taking supplements because my kidney function was low. After stopping, my kidney function returned to normal. Can taking a lot of supplements really damage the kidneys?

Find out which supplements may damage your kidneys. ConsumerLab explores possible kidney side effects of supplements including chromium, creatine, and vitamin C.

Can Supplements Really Damage Your Kidneys? -- Woman with kidney pain

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