Potassium chloride supplements and blood potassium in kidney disease
What it found
In 191 people with chronic kidney disease, taking 40 mmol of potassium chloride a day for 2 weeks raised blood potassium by 0.4 mmol/L.
About 11% of them developed hyperkalemia.
What they found
Studies in people
Potassium in urine and blood
Potassium chloride supplements significantly increased potassium in urine (from 72 to 107 mmol/day) and in blood (from 4.3 to 4.7 mmol/L).
Aldosterone and renin
Blood aldosterone rose from 281 to 351 ng/L, but renin in the blood did not change significantly.
Blood pressure and kidney measures
There was no significant effect on sodium in urine, blood pressure, eGFR, or albumin in urine.
Chloride and bicarbonate
Blood chloride rose slightly (from 104 to 105 mmol/L), while blood bicarbonate fell (from 24.5 to 23.7 mmol/L) and urine pH fell. Ammonium in urine did not change.
Hyperkalemia
21 participants (11%) developed hyperkalemia, with blood potassium averaging 5.9 mmol/L. They were older and had higher blood potassium at the start.
What the authors conclude
“In patients with CKD stage G3b-4, increasing dietary potassium intake to recommended levels with potassium chloride supplementation raises plasma potassium by 0.4 mmol/L.”
Also in their conclusions
- They conclude that in patients with CKD stage G3b-4, increasing dietary potassium intake to recommended levels with potassium chloride supplementation raises plasma potassium by 0.4 mmol/L.
- They say this may result in hyperkalemia in older patients or those with higher baseline plasma potassium.
- They advise that longer-term studies should address whether cardiorenal protection outweighs the risk of hyperkalemia.
How it was done
Observational studies suggest that getting enough potassium in the diet (90-120 mmol/day) may protect the kidneys, but the effects of increasing dietary potassium and the risk of hyperkalemia are unknown.
They studied 191 patients with chronic kidney disease (average age 68, 74% male, 86% European ancestry, average eGFR 31 ml/min per 1.73 m2, 83% on renin-angiotensin system inhibitors, 38% with diabetes). Each took 40 mmol of potassium chloride per day for 2 weeks.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- This was a 2-week study, so it cannot show what happens over longer periods.
- It cannot show whether any kidney or heart protection from potassium chloride outweighs the risk of high blood potassium.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- Erasmus Medical Center, The Netherlands; Amsterdam University Medical Center, The Netherlands; University Medical Center Groningen, The Netherlands
The paper
- Title
- Effects of Short-Term Potassium Chloride Supplementation in Patients with CKD
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Gritter M, Wouda RD, Yeung SMH, et al (2022). Effects of Short-Term Potassium Chloride Supplementation in Patients with CKD. Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. doi:10.1681/ASN.2022020147Free full textPubMed 35609996DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error