What is Potassium?
Category: Supplements
Most popular types: Potassium orotate Sundown Naturals Multi-Source Potassium
See also: Mineral Supplements
Multivitamin-mineral supplements in the U.S. do not contain more than 99 mg of potassium per serving. Higher doses of supplemental potassium are generally prescribed to prevent and treat potassium depletion and hypokalemia.
| Purpose | Patients | Evaluations | Perceived Effectiveness |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low potassium (hypokalemia) | 71 | 22 | |
| General health | 66 | 20 | |
| Cramps in calf muscles | 62 | 32 | |
| Increase effect of another treatment | 25 | 1 | |
| Muscle cramps | 16 | 3 | |
| Stiffness/spasticity | 16 | 5 |
- Major
- Moderate
- Slight
- None
- Can't tell
Side effects
Side effects as an overall problem
| Severity | Evaluations | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Severe | 1 | |
| Moderate | 0 | |
| Mild | 1 | |
| None | 79 |
Commonly reported side effects and conditions associated with Potassium
| Side effect | Patients | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Acid reflux | 2 | |
| Cramps in legs | 1 | |
| Heartburn | 1 | |
| Pain | 1 | |
| Pain in veins during infusion | 1 |
Why patients stopped taking Potassium
Multiple reasons could be selected
| Reason | Patients | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Other | 21 | |
| Course of treatment ended | 12 | |
| Did not seem to work | 12 | |
| Doctor's advice | 9 | |
| Personal research | 7 | |
| Expense | 5 | |
| Side effects too severe | 2 | |
| Change in health plan coverage | 1 |
Duration
Stopped taking Potassium
| Duration | Patients | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Less than 1 month | 5 | |
| 1 - 6 months | 14 | |
| 6 months - 1 year | 14 | |
| 1 - 2 years | 10 | |
| 2 - 5 years | 5 | |
| 5 - 10 years | 4 | |
| 10 years or more | 4 |
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