When it comes to the best potassium supplements, the answer may not be so cut and dry. The reason being is that potassium is an essential mineral, but too much of it and the wrong kind of it can lead to some very serious side effects that you need to watch out for.
So in this article, we’ll be talking about the best potassium supplements on the market, but not before we discuss safety and other forms of getting potassium in your diet.
What is Potassium?
Potassium is a mineral and electrolyte. It’s involved in multiple important processes in the human body, including regulating the amount of water in the body, heart function, and muscle contractions. (1) (2)
Potassium is incredibly important, yet a large portion of the worldwide population doesn’t get enough of it in their diet. (3) (4)
Potassium Benefits
There are numerous health benefits that potassium has on our bodies.
Could Aid in The Prevention of Kidney Stones
Calcium buildup is one of the most common culprits of kidney stones and potassium has been shown to lower calcium levels in urine. (5) (6)
Large studies in both women and men have shown that there’s a correlation between higher potassium intake and a lower risk of kidney stones. (7) (8)
Could Help Prevent Osteoporosis
Some studies have shown that people who get more potassium in their diet have more dense and healthy bone mass. (9) (10)
Lowers Blood Pressure
In a meta-analysis of studies done on potassium’s effect on blood pressure, researchers found that people who had the highest potassium intake had lower blood pressure than the people who consumed very little potassium. (11)
May Provide Protection from Stroke
Multiple studies and meta-analyses on potassium and stroke have found that a higher intake of potassium is correlated with pretty significantly smaller risk of having a stroke. (12)(13)
Safety & When to Take a Potassium Supplement
The FDA has put certain restrictions in place for potassium supplements because of concerns over potassium overdosing. Namely, they’re concerned with the elderly, diabetics, people with heart conditions, and anyone who has any condition that affects kidney function because the kidneys regulate potassium levels in the blood. If you have any kidney function issues, taking potassium supplements could be dangerous, and the FDA doesn’t want supplements to pose a danger to anyone.
The recommended daily value for potassium intake is 4700 mg per day. But you won’t find near that amount in potassium supplements because the limit for manufacturers is doses of 100 mg.
That means that you have to get the majority of your potassium through foods rather than supplementation, which is a good idea anyway for any vitamin/mineral. Potassium supplements should really just be used when you absolutely need them.
Some potassium-rich foods that you can incorporate into your diet include:
- Bananas
- Avocados
- Spinach
- Beans
- Potatoes
- Sweet Potatoes
- Pomegranate
- Beets
- Squash
- Watermelon
- Coconut Water
Considering the health concerns with potassium supplementation, the only instance in which you should do so is at the request of your doctor. With that said, in the following sections we’ll go over what we believe to be the best potassium supplements available on the market today.
#1: Best Potassium Supplement Overall: Thorne Research – Potassium Citrate
Thorne Research’s Potassium Citrate is our pick for the best potassium supplement on the market. This supplement ticks the boxes for the things that we like in supplements: high-quality, safe ingredients and a simple, straightforward formula.
This product contains 99 mg of potassium (2% of the daily value and not surprising considering the FDA’s guideline on 100 mg max for potassium supplements) and comes on veggie capsules. It does not contain gluten, metallic colorants, eggs, stearates, BPA, nut-based ingredients, any banned substances, high fructose corn syrup, artificial preservatives, or dairy. It comes in bottles of 90 capsules.
That’s pretty much it for this product; it’s simple and safe—just the way we like it.
If you have a potassium deficiency, this product is going to be as safe and effective as it gets as long as you’re combining it with a healthy diet full of potassium.
Pros:
- Contains the potassium needed to address a deficiency
- Veggie capsules makes them vegan/vegetarian-friendly
- No harmful ingredients/allergens
- Simple formula
- Reasonable pill size making them easy to swallow
Cons:
- Not a substitute for a diet high in potassium
- Very low dose due to restrictions
- Can cause stomach pain in some
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- Muscle: Essential for skeletal muscle function*
- Urinary Tract: Alkalinizes the urine to promote good urinary tract health*
- Heart: Supports cardiovascular health*
- Free From: Every Thorne product is made with the purest possible ingredients - without gluten or other major allergens (eggs, tree nuts, peanuts) This product also contains no soy, dairy, shellfish, or fish
- Thorne's commitment to integrity and science-backed products has helped us earn the trust of thousands of health-care professionals, U.S. National Teams, the Mayo Clinic, and families around the world
#2: Best Pill Alternative Potassium Supplement: BulkSupplements Potassium Citrate Powder
If you prefer not to take your supplements in pill form for whatever reason, your best option is to go with BulkSupplements Potassium Citrate Powder.
This supplement comes with 99 mg of potassium (as potassium citrate). It’s free of sugar, soy, dairy, yeast, gluten or any additives. It’s also vegan and vegetarian-friendly.
As with all products by BulkSupplements, this contains pure and high-quality ingredients.
This product comes in powder form, so you have to mix it in with a drink of your choice. You can mix it with just water, as it dissolves pretty well and doesn’t have much of a taste, but it’s more pleasant if you have a certain juice or smoothie you like to mix it with.
Pros:
- Powder form is good for people who prefer not to take pills
- Dissolves easily
- Little to no taste
- Easy on the stomach
- Free of allergens and additives
- Vegan/ vegetarian-friendly
- High-quality ingredients
Cons:
- Easier to get an incorrect dosage with powder than with pills
- Our batch we tested easily dissolved and had little taste but some consumers report that theirs was granulated and bitter so there may be some quality control issues on BulkSupplements’ end
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- ⚡ Maintains Fluid Balance - Potassium can be found in many foods, but it is not always readily available to the body. Potassium citrate also plays an important role in electrolyte balance. Potassium Citrate helps to keep the body's fluid levels in balance, which is essential for optimal health and performance.* This supplement is perfect for anyone who wants to stay hydrated. It's also a great source of energy!
- 🧠 Supports Nerve Health - Potassium is a key mineral for nerve health.* Potassium Citrate, both in potassium powder & potassium capsules form, also plays an important role in the transmission of messages between nerves and muscles, including the heart.* This potassium citrate supplement is an important nutrient for people who lead active lifestyles, as well as for those who want to maintain healthy nerve function.*
- 💪 Supports Muscle Contraction - Muscles need potassium to function properly, and potassium citrate, or potassium 99mg, is a great source of this essential mineral. By supplementing with potassium citrate, you can help keep your muscles contracted and function properly.* If you're looking for a way to boost your performance*, potassium citrate powder or potassium citrate capsules may be the perfect supplement for you.
- ✔️ Get the Potassium You Need - Potassium is an important mineral that our bodies need for a variety of reasons. This potassium citrate powder, or potassium citrate capsules, which are potassium 99mg, is a great way to get the potassium you need without any fillers or additives. Not on that it's filler free, our potassium powder & potassium capsules are dairy free, soy free and gluten free!
- ⭐ High Quality - All products by BulkSupplements are manufactured according to cGMP Standards to ensure the highest quality for manufacturing, packaging, labeling, and holding operations. We’ve made a significant investment in our in-house lab so we can test our products at multiple stages during production. We third party test products, procedures and equipment when required to ensure compliance, standards and consistency.
#3: Best Potassium Supplement For High Blood Pressure &/Or Cramps: Pure Encapsulations – Potassium (Citrate)
Our pick for the best potassium supplement for dealing with high blood pressure or cramps is Pure Encapsulations Potassium Citrate.
If you’re dealing with either of these conditions, it’s probably a good idea to address it with a higher dosage of potassium, and this supplement has it. It has 200 mg of potassium (as potassium citrate) which is 4% of the daily value.
This product comes in vegetarian capsules.
As with all Pure Encapsulations products, it’s free of “wheat and gluten; egg; peanuts; coatings and shellacs; GMOs; magnesium stearate; trans fats and hydrogenated oils; artificial colors, flavors, and sweeteners; unnecessary binders, fillers, and preservatives”.
Pros:
- Potent dose of potassium
- Pure and clean ingredients
- Certified gluten-free
- Vegan/vegetarian-friendly
- Free of allergens and additives
Cons:
- Capsules are a bit on the large side, which may make them slightly difficult for some people to swallow
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- Cardiovascular Function: Potassium is an essential mineral which offers a wide range of nutritional support to ensure healthy physiological functioning of diverse organ systems and is essential to cardiovascular function.*
- Overall Physiological Support: Potassium activates many enzymatic reactions and is essential to a number of physiologic processes, including: transmission of nerve impulses; contraction of cardiac, smooth, and skeletal muscles; gastric secretion; renal function; tissue synthesis; and carbohydrate metabolism.*
- Electrolyte Balance: Potassium works with sodium to maintain healthy water balance, heart rhythm, nerve and muscle function.*
- Pure Quality: Our supplements are made with only premium ingredients sourced from trusted suppliers and guided by our nutritional experts, then carefully manufactured and tested to verify their potency and purity.
- Pure Difference: What makes us different isn't just our process or what goes into our supplements -- what we leave out matters, too. Pure Encapsulations products are FREE FROM wheat, eggs, tree nuts & peanuts, gluten, artificial colors, flavors & sweeteners, coatings and shellacs, GMOs, and unnecessary binders, fillers & preservatives.
#4: Best Potassium Supplement for Keto: Code Age Keto Electrolytes
Code Age Keto Electrolytes is our choice for the best potassium supplement for keto.
A low-carb diet can deplete your electrolytes, and this supplement is formulated to address that. It has potent doses of several electrolytes. It contains 350 mg of sodium (from sodium chloride), 200 mg of magnesium (from magnesium chloride hexahydrate), 100 mg of potassium (from potassium chloride), and 99 mg of calcium (from calcium carbonate).
This is a good formula not just for people on a keto diet but also for athletes and people on low carb diets.
This supplement comes in vegetarian capsules and does not contain any sugar, yeast, starch, gluten, preservatives, artificial flavors or colors. It’s made in an FDA-registered, certified GMP facility.
It’s a little on the pricey side, but a bottle does contain 180 capsules.
Pros:
- Has a good selection of electrolytes
- Potent dosages
- Suitable for keto and low-carb diets
- Good formula for athletes
- Free of allergens and additives
- Made in a GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) facility
- Vegan/vegetarian-friendly
Cons:
- Quality control could be improved
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- KETOGENIC DIET - Codeage Keto Electrolytes Supplement is an advanced electrolyte solution which offers vegan ingredients like Magnesium, Calcium, Potassium and Salt as sodium chloride. These minerals salts are specifically designed to be used as a keto supplement for anyone following a keto or low carb diet as part of the hydration process. 3 months supply.
- MINERALS, ELECTROLYTE WATER & PH LEVELS: Electrolytes are minerals in our organism that have an electric charge. Electrolytes can play a role to help balance the amount of water and pH level in your body. They can come in several formats including electrolyte water or electrolyte drops. Keto salt electrolytes capsules provide a source of electrolyte concentrate as a convenient format.
- ZERO CARBS: Codeage electrolytes formula is sugar free and contains zero carbs. The capsules can provide an alternative to salt sticks by offering calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium all at once. You can get electrolytes from foods and the fluids. The levels of electrolytes in your body can vary as the amount of water in your body changes.
- VEGAN & NON-GMO: Codeage Keto Electrolytes supplement is vegan and non-GMO. This keto formula is dairy free, soy free and gluten free. It is also free of carriers, fillers & artificial ingredients.
- MADE IN THE USA: Codeage Keto Electrolytes is made in the USA in a cGMP certified facility and third party tested.
Conclusion
You really can’t go wrong with any of these supplements as they’re fairly similar. They all have quality ingredients and are suitable for vegans and vegetarians.
If you have specific needs then one may be slightly better than other options, but you can rest assured knowing that each of these supplements are high-quality potassium supplements.
Sources- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6100197
- https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-94-007-7500-8_2
- https://www.bmj.com/content/346/bmj.f1378
- http://www.who.int/nutrition/publications/guidelines/potassium_intake_printversion.pdf
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4525130/
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0085253815503475
- https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM199303253281203
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9092314
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9174480
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10617959
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23558164
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21371638
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23558164