Potassium chloride, or potassium salt, consists of the minerals potassium and chloride. It’s used to treat hypokalemia, a condition of low blood potassium levels. It can also help lower blood pressure.
People may use potassium chloride as an alternative to salt to decrease or control their sodium intake. Improper use can cause side effects and possibly toxicity.
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Your body needs potassium for kidney, heart, muscle, and brain functions. Low or high potassium levels can cause severe health conditions, including muscle weakness, irregular heartbeat, and, in severe cases, cardiac arrest.
Potassium chloride is mainly used to treat and manage low blood potassium levels. It can be given orally (by mouth) or intravenously (through injections into the blood) to bring potassium levels to the normal range.
Consuming too much sodium (salt) can cause hypertension (high blood pressure), which can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. Americans consume more than 3,300 milligrams of sodium daily, significantly higher than the recommended limit of 2,300 milligrams.
High sodium intake generally comes from processed and fast foods. To help lower intake, many food manufacturers use potassium salts, including potassium chloride, to replace some sodium and increase the potassium content in their food products.
There are various forms of potassium salts containing different amounts of potassium, up to 2,800 milligrams.
Consuming salt substitutes with high potassium can raise your risk of hyperkalemia (high blood potassium levels). If you have chronic conditions, including kidney disease, you should consult your healthcare provider before using potassium salts.
You can also decrease your sodium intake by reading nutrition facts labels. Foods labeled as low sodium should contain less than 140 milligrams per serving, while very low sodium foods should contain less than 35 milligrams per serving.
Both high sodium and low potassium intake can increase the risk of high blood pressure. Using potassium salt instead of table salt or sodium may help lower sodium intake, which could help lower blood pressure.
A research review found that potassium supplementation can decrease both systolic (top number) and diastolic (bottom number) blood pressure in individuals with high blood pressure. This was especially true if they had high sodium and low potassium intake and were not using blood-pressure-lowering medications.
The effects of potassium on blood pressure are unclear regarding who could benefit from it and what dosages are effective and safe.
Potassium chloride is used in food products to mimic the taste that sodium provides while keeping the sodium content of foods low. Some foods that may contain potassium chloride include:
- Cereals
- Potato chips
- Baked goods
- Frozen or ready-made meals
- Meat products
- Cheese
- Soup
- Sauces
- Sports drinks
- Snack bars
Potassium chloride consists of high amounts of potassium and chloride. The main goal of the supplement is to increase potassium levels, while chloride helps with electrolyte balance.
Increasing your potassium intake can help reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke. Adequate potassium intake levels are established at 1,600 milligrams for women and 3,400 milligrams for men. Potassium-rich foods include:
- Dried apricots: 755 milligrams (mg) per ½ cup, 16% of the Daily Value (DV)
- Lentils: 731 mg per 1 cup cooked, 16% of the DV
- Potato: 610 mg per 1 medium baked, 13% of the DV
- Kidney beans: 607 mg per 1 cup canned, 13% of the DV
- Orange juice: 496 mg per 1 cup, 11% of the DV
You need a prescription for potassium chloride, which is available in tablet, capsule, powder, and injectable form. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the following forms of potassium chloride:
- Extended-release tablets
- Extended-release capsules
- Injectables
- Oral solutions
- Powder for oral solutions
Your healthcare provider will prescribe a dosage based on your health conditions and blood potassium levels.
Too much potassium chloride causes hyperkalemia, or high blood potassium levels. High blood potassium levels can cause cardiac arrhythmia, which is when your heart beats irregularly and is too slow or too fast.
You shouldn’t take potassium chloride if you have a health condition that can cause high blood potassium levels, such as chronic kidney disease and adrenal gland disorders (like Addison’s disease and Cushing’s syndrome), unless your healthcare provider recommends otherwise.
Potential Drug Interactions
Taking potassium chloride with other supplements or drugs that increase blood potassium levels may cause potassium levels to become too high. These include:
- Potassium-sparing diuretics: This form of diuretic, or water pill, decreases the amount of potassium lost through urine, which can raise blood potassium levels. Examples include Midamor (amiloride) and Aldactone (spironolactone).
- Antihypertensive drugs: Antihypertensive (blood pressure-lowering) drugs are used to treat and manage high blood pressure. The most common classes of antihypertensive drugs are angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs). These drugs also treat heart failure and kidney disease. They increase blood potassium levels. Examples include Lotensin (benazepril) and Cozaar (losartan).
Can You Take Too Much Potassium Chloride?
It is possible to take too much potassium chloride. The medication contains high amounts of potassium, and you can exceed safe limits by taking more than the recommended dose. Always follow your healthcare provider’s dosage recommendations. Consuming too much potassium chloride can cause serious side effects.
General side effects of potassium chloride include:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Mental confusion
Potassium chloride can also lead to complications like gastrointestinal disorders, neuromuscular (nerve and muscle system) disorders, and sudden cardiac death.
Different forms of potassium chloride may have different potential side effects:
- Oral potassium chloride solutions: Gastrointestinal symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea
- Tablets and capsules: Ulcerative lesions in the gastrointestinal tract
- Injectable solutions: Complications in the injection area, such as skin redness, pain, swelling, inflammation of the vein, and blood clots
Potassium chloride is a two-mineral compound used to treat and manage low blood potassium levels, known as hypokalemia. It may help lower blood pressure. Additionally, potassium salts are commonly used as a substitute for sodium to lower overall sodium intake.
Consuming too much potassium can lead to side effects like irregular heartbeat, gastrointestinal symptoms, and possibly death. Potassium chloride is prescribed and taken under the guidance of a healthcare professional.
To maintain healthy potassium levels, you can eat a balanced diet that includes potassium-rich foods, like apricots, lentils, and potatoes. Potassium is essential for bone, heart, muscle, kidney, and brain health.
