Potassium Cautions
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General warnings and precautions
Certain people should not take potassium supplements as they could cause severe and toxic effects:
- People with kidney or liver disease
- People taking potassium-sparing diuretics
- People with hyperkalaemia (high potassium blood levels)
Other people should seek medical advice before taking potassium supplements:
- People with Addison's disease
- People with heart disease
- People taking heart medications
- People with diabetes
- People taking heart medication
- People taking diuretics
- People with gastrointestinal disorders
- People with chronic diarrhoea or taking laxatives for diarrhoea
- People using low-sodium salt substitutes
Certain people should not take potassium supplements as they could cause severe and toxic effects
Toxic Levels of Potassium
Potassium is toxic at doses greater than 12000mg (12 grams).
Overdosage and Toxicity Symptoms - Acute
Acute toxicity of potassium from taking too much in potassium supplements - over 12,000mg - can cause the following symptoms:
- Arrhythmia *
- Bloody or black stools (poo)
- Confusion *
- Convulsions *
- Diarrhoea
- Difficulty breathing *
- Fever
- Irregular heartbeat *
- Kidney death
- Vomiting
- Weakness
* People who experience the highlighted symptoms should seek immediate emergency treatment.
Overdosage and Toxicity Symptoms - Chronic
Chronic toxicity of potassium from taking higher than the therapeutic dose of potassium supplements (more than 5,000mg) for a long time can cause the following symptoms:
- Confusion
- Elevated potassium levels
- Heart attack
- Kidney failure
- Lethargy and fatigue
- Nausea
- Paralysis, numbness or heaviness of legs or arms
- Tingling in hands or feet
People experiencing any of the above toxicity symptoms should discontinue their potassium supplements and seek medical advice. Overdosage and toxicity is more likely to occur from taking too many supplements, whereas dietary intake of potassium is highly unlikely to cause overdosage.