Potassium

Is potassium citrate better than potassium chloride?

Updated 9 Nov 2026

Short answer

It depends on the aim, and few studies compare them. Blood pressure trials mostly used potassium chloride.[1] Kidney stone trials used potassium citrate and other citrate salts, because the citrate is thought to prevent the stones.[1][2] For bones, potassium citrate and bicarbonate lowered calcium in urine more than potassium chloride did.[3] A trial treated 42 patients who had a low blood level with 80 mmol a day of potassium chloride, or of potassium citrate and bicarbonate. Both raised the level equally, from 3.2 to about 4.0 mmol/L within 4 to 6 days.[4] The body absorbs about 94% of potassium gluconate, as much as from potatoes.[1][5] Liquid potassium chloride is absorbed within a few hours. Enteric-coated tablets, which dissolve in the small intestine and not in the stomach, are absorbed more slowly.[1] Labels list the amount of potassium itself, not of the whole salt.[1]

Sources (5)

  1. Potassium: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. ods.od.nih.gov
  2. Citrate salts for preventing and treating calcium containing kidney stones in adults. Phillips R, Hanchanale VS, Myatt A, Somani B, Nabi G, Biyani CS Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 2015. PMID 26439475
  3. The effect of supplementation with alkaline potassium salts on bone metabolism: a meta-analysis. Lambert H, Frassetto L, Moore JB, Torgerson D, Gannon R, Burckhardt P, et al. Osteoporos Int, 2015. PMID 25572045
  4. Potassium substitution via the oral route: does its efficacy depend on the anion of the potassium salt?. Meyer-Lehnert H, Evers WM, Krück F Klin Wochenschr, 1991. PMID 1762385
  5. Bioavailability of potassium from potatoes and potassium gluconate: a randomized dose response trial. Macdonald-Clarke CJ, Martin BR, McCabe LD, McCabe GP, Lachcik PJ, Wastney M, et al. Am J Clin Nutr, 2016. PMID 27413123

More about potassium

What is potassium?Which foods contain potassium?What is potassium used for?What happens if you do not get enough potassium?Is potassium safe?Why do potassium supplements contain only 99 mg?

For education; not medical advice. Talk to a doctor before you start, stop or change a supplement.