When taken by mouth: Potassium is likely safe for most people when taken by mouth in amounts of up to 100 mEq (3900 mg) of total potassium daily. In some people, potassium can cause
stomach upset, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, or intestinal gas
.
What are side effects of potassium pills?
The most common adverse reactions to oral potassium salts are
nausea, vomiting, flatulence, abdominal pain/discomfort and diarrhea
. These symptoms are due to irritation of the gastrointestinal tract and are best managed by taking the dose with meals or reducing the amount taken at one time.
What medications should not be taken with potassium?
- Thiazide diuretics. Hydrochlorothiazide. Chlorothiazide (Diuril) …
- Loop diuretics. Furosemide (Lasix) …
- Corticosteroids.
- Amphotericin B (Fungizone)
- Antacids.
- Insulin.
- Fluconazole (Diflucan): Used to treat fungal infections.
- Theophylline (TheoDur): Used for asthma.
Is it safe to take a potassium supplement daily?
Do not take potassium supplements without talking
to you doctor. At normal doses, potassium is fairly safe. It may cause an upset stomach. Some people have allergies to potassium supplements.
Should I take potassium in the morning or night?
It is best to take this medicine with
a meal or bedtime snack
, or within 30 minutes after meals.
Why should you not lie down after taking potassium?
Breaking or crushing the pill may cause too much of the drug to be released at one time. Sucking on a potassium tablet can irritate your mouth or throat. Avoid lying down
for at least 30 minutes after you take this
medication.
What are the signs of a potassium deficiency?
- Constipation.
- Feeling of skipped heart beats or palpitations.
- Fatigue.
- Muscle damage.
- Muscle weakness or spasms.
- Tingling or numbness.
What are the side effects of too much potassium?
- Abdominal (belly) pain and diarrhea.
- Chest pain.
- Heart palpitations or arrhythmia (irregular, fast or fluttering heartbeat).
- Muscle weakness or numbness in limbs.
- Nausea and vomiting.
Why do doctors prescribe potassium?
Potassium is most commonly used for
treating and preventing low potassium levels
, treating high blood pressure, and preventing stroke.
What are the benefits of taking potassium?
Potassium is one of the most important minerals in the body. It
helps regulate fluid balance, muscle contractions and nerve signals
. What's more, a high-potassium diet may help reduce blood pressure and water retention, protect against stroke and prevent osteoporosis and kidney stones.
Is coffee high in potassium?
Three to four cups of coffee a day is considered high in potassium
and could raise your potassium levels. Adding creamers or milk can further raise your coffee's potassium content. Drinking less than three cups of coffee/day is generally considered safe.
Should I take potassium and magnesium together?
Magnesium administration, concomitant with potassium, assists tissue
replenishment
of potassium. Therefore, we hypothesized that combinations of these cations would lower blood pressure.
Can you check potassium levels at home?
A fast, accurate and low-cost test for blood potassium levels, which can be used at home and has the potential to improve the safety, health and lifestyle of tens of millions of people worldwide, is being developed by
Kalium Diagnostics
.
Can you eat bananas while taking potassium pills?
While
bananas are the best
-known food for potassium, they're far from the only food with an abundance of the mineral. Limit your intake of sweet potatoes, mushrooms, potatoes and other high-potassium foods when taking ACE inhibitors. Additionally, salt substitutes often replace sodium with potassium chloride.
Can potassium keep you awake at night?
Difficulty staying asleep: This could be linked to potassium, Livescience reports. Studies have shown that potassium supplements
may boost sleeping through the night
, but good food sources are beans, leafy greens, avocados, baked potatoes, and to a lesser degree, bananas.
Does potassium make you sleepy?
Weakness and Fatigue
First, potassium helps regulate
muscle contractions
. When blood potassium levels are low, your muscles produce weaker contractions ( 4 ). Deficiency in this mineral may also affect how your body uses nutrients, resulting in fatigue.
