In the US, potassium supplements are restricted to no more that 99 mg, or roughly 2% of the recommended daily value. Is there a point to such a low dosage? Is it okay to take more than 99 mg in supplement form?
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A big reason is that people tend to take supplements on an empty stomach. *That* is what can lead to severe abdominal pain and small bowel lesions. Getting potassium from food obviously means you don’t have an empty stomach. It’s also important to note that there are different forms of potassium. The form associated with digestive problems is *potassium chloride,* which also happens to be a form commonly found in supplements.
In all honesty, however, I think there’s an even bigger reason: the widespread use of blood thinners and blood pressure medications. Large amounts of potassium (even from food) can interfere with the effectiveness of blood thinners (like Warfarin), which can quickly lead to blood clots that cause stroke, heart attack, and potentially death. Blood pressure meds aren’t a big problem anymore, but certain diuretics (like spironolactone) that used to be prescribed more often increase potassium levels, so potassium supplements can effectively cause an overdose of potassium.
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