Potassium pills. Why would a person take them?

Old_Cat_Lady
Old_Cat_Lady Posts: 1,193 Member
edited November 20 in Food and Nutrition
I don't understand why stores even sell this. I think it was 95mg of potassium I saw. Seems so much easier to get potassium from foods. And sites I have been reading warn against taking potassium in pill form.
Does one pill help you sleep or something? What is the benefit?
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Replies

  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,458 Member
    The doses are really small...it's not good to supplement with Potassium unless directed by a doctor.

    Who knows why people do the stuff they do?
  • Old_Cat_Lady
    Old_Cat_Lady Posts: 1,193 Member
    Could a 21 year old college student be using it to make drugs or get high? Or could it be used in science/chemistry experiments?
  • Spliner1969
    Spliner1969 Posts: 3,233 Member
    They are sold in stores for a couple of reasons. A) To sell to people who are ignorant of the daily requirements and what they can get from a supplement, and B) as a supplement that can be taken at the recommendation of a doctor for whatever reason (like if a specific diet would require it). 95mg isn't much, and taking a bunch of these isn't safe, so stick with the food options.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    It is super easy to get using No-Salt (potassium chloride). Another reason not to bother with pills.
  • toxikon
    toxikon Posts: 2,383 Member
    jgnatca wrote: »
    It is super easy to get using No-Salt (potassium chloride). Another reason not to bother with pills.

    Exactly, that's what I use! Way cheaper and 530mg per 1/6 tsp.
  • Old_Cat_Lady
    Old_Cat_Lady Posts: 1,193 Member
    Wouldn't that power be just about the same danger are the pills?
    Anyway, what I'm asking is if a kid can make drugs with this or use it to enhance studying? Other uses? Maybe to poop better?
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,458 Member
    Maybe you need to post this on a drug forum. Have you tried Google?
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Lol...potassium supplements to make drugs...
  • mph323
    mph323 Posts: 3,563 Member
    I take a daily tablet for leg and foot cramps. It works for me - I have a small enough calorie allowance that I'm not willing to swap out foods I like for others with more potassium. <shrug>
  • Neener0808
    Neener0808 Posts: 1 Member
    I just started taking a potassium supplement as I am suffering from some leg cramps and training for a half marathon. I monitor my food and macros and I don't get a lot of natural potassium. Everyone says eat banana's but quiet frankly I can't stand banana's. It's a texture thing. I am trying this out for 2 weeks of 99mg tablet once a day.
  • susanp57
    susanp57 Posts: 409 Member
    I take it for leg cramps and so I can sleep.
  • mph323
    mph323 Posts: 3,563 Member
    Neener0808 wrote: »
    I just started taking a potassium supplement as I am suffering from some leg cramps and training for a half marathon. I monitor my food and macros and I don't get a lot of natural potassium. Everyone says eat banana's but quiet frankly I can't stand banana's. It's a texture thing. I am trying this out for 2 weeks of 99mg tablet once a day.

    Gotta agree on the bananas! I cycle and was getting excruciating cramps in my calves at night, and foot cramping randomly when I was sitting. It really does help - I rarely get the leg cramps now, and the foot cramps are much less often.
  • ucalegon
    ucalegon Posts: 43 Member
    edited July 2017
    Folks take potassium supplements to help with muscle cramping as mentioned above. Additionally, folks on ketogenic diets often supplement Potassium (though usually through NoSalt) because the nature of ketogenic diets mean that they flush electrolytes out of your system, and so salts like sodium, potassium, and magnesium need to be supplemented.

    Edited to add: No, your 21 year old college student wouldn't be using it to make drugs, get high, or as a laxative. They probably have leg or foot cramps, or restless leg issues.
  • ritzvin
    ritzvin Posts: 2,860 Member
    Along with sodium chloride, can be taken to replenish electrolytes during a long run/ride (where carrying a banana would be inconvenient) - preventing cramps later on.
  • ritzvin
    ritzvin Posts: 2,860 Member
    I know some people also take magnesium for their leg cramps (which is also in at least some mixed electrolyte tablets).

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  • Old_Cat_Lady
    Old_Cat_Lady Posts: 1,193 Member
    edited July 2017
    The reviews stated not to take more than 1 or 2 pills which concerned me. I hope that kid is not taking 30+ pills a day to get his RDA of 4,700. I read things like it can cause heart problems. One of his roommates is an avid cycler !- thank you mph323
  • ninjacakegirl
    ninjacakegirl Posts: 26 Member
    edited July 2017
    My grandmother had diverticulitis (and other problems) and had extreme difficulty keeping down the foods she needed to eat to keep her levels of potassium and other things up. She had less difficulty with supplements (I guess because they take up so little space?), so the doctor had my grandpa get off-the-shelf supplements, which helped, but ultimately, she succumbed to all the problems in April of last year. So to answer your question, potassium pills can be needed for medical reasons.
  • __TMac__
    __TMac__ Posts: 1,669 Member
    I have sciatica and get bad muscle cramps. I try to get enough K and Mg through my food, but I take the supplements as well to boost my intake.
  • Sunna_W
    Sunna_W Posts: 744 Member
    Potassium requirement daily is 4,700 milligrams. It's hard to get that unless you consume 10 bananas!

    There are powdered supplements available that get you closer - but they have to be carefully taken because overdosing can cause convulsions and heart attacks. BTW most of the powders are "base" and are are caustic and must be mixed with citric acid to reduce the ph. Potassium injections can either help you or stop your heart.
    TheWJordinWJordin wrote: »
    Could a 21 year old college student be using it to make drugs or get high? Or could it be used in science/chemistry experiments?

    It's not used to make drugs - it's one of the essential electrolytes (sodium, magnesium being the other two). Health conscious people combine it with sugar, sodium, magnesium to make a hydration drink without all of the crap.

    My husband plays death by tennis on the weekends and I keep it on hand to mix into his Gatorade along with extra magnesium when he's got really bad muscle cramps. As long as we follow the directions it's perfectly safe.

  • mom22dogs
    mom22dogs Posts: 470 Member
    I've had to have potassium given through IV at the hospital. I was admitted after having stomach issues for a few months and it almost depleted my potassium. I can see where people can need them for different things.
  • Old_Cat_Lady
    Old_Cat_Lady Posts: 1,193 Member
    Lots of gatorade in kitchen. This is all making sense. All roommates are involved in some sort of sport.
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    TheWJordinWJordin wrote: »
    Lots of gatorade in kitchen. This is all making sense. All roommates are involved in some sort of sport.

    You have roommates who are taking potassium supplements, and you are concerned that they might be using them to grind down and make other illegal drugs with, so you come on the MFP forums to play speculation games?

    Or is this an observation about someone you don't even know in real life?

  • Old_Cat_Lady
    Old_Cat_Lady Posts: 1,193 Member
    wow wino, that came across as tough. My kid's has 3 roommates. I didn't know I was breaking rules or something. Geez. Tough, tough place this is. Done.
  • CarolPre
    CarolPre Posts: 1,867 Member
    My doctor prescribed it for me to take because of leg cramps.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    Sunna_W wrote: »
    Potassium requirement daily is 4,700 milligrams. It's hard to get that unless you consume 10 bananas!

    No, it's really not if you just eat a normal healthy diet. There are also lots of foods that have more potassium than bananas -- not sure who bananas paid off for all good press! ;-)

    Anyway, I agree there are perfectly normal reasons to take the supplements and nothing suspicious about it.

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