Potassium citrates

Studies in people

• Open question

  Bone loss after menopause²

  In women past menopause, potassium citrate lowered one urine marker of bone breakdown, but other bone markers did not change.

• Benefit

  Bone strength and calcium³

  In older adults, potassium citrate improved calcium balance and lowered a bone-loss marker, but longer trials are needed.

• Benefit

  Blood pressure⁴

  In healthy young people, potassium citrate taken for six weeks lowered blood pressure, much like potassium chloride did.

• Benefit

  Bone density in older women⁵

  In women past menopause, potassium citrate increased bone density in the spine and hip over a year.

• No harm found

  Bone strength after menopause⁶

  In women past menopause, taking potassium citrate for two years did not slow bone loss or build bone.

• Benefit

  Bone breakdown⁷

  In women, a single dose of potassium citrate lowered a marker of bone breakdown and raised calcium retention.

• Open question

  Calcium loss in urine⁸

  In girls, potassium citrate did not lower calcium in urine the way it does in adults.

The signal at the top counts the findings in people and in animal and lab studies. A concern in studies of people outranks animal and lab studies, and “No concerns” needs at least one finding in people. When most findings in people point one way, the page leans that way (“Mostly”), and every finding is still shown. Findings whose study type is not stated are shown but not counted. This page is a reference, not medical advice. It describes what regulators and published research say. Talk to a doctor or dietitian about your own diet.

Expert panels that weigh all the research. Shown for context: the signal at the top does not count them.

• UN and WHO food additive experts (JECFA), 1973

  Reviewed its safety in 1973.