Is diarrhea a side effect of potassium supplements?

From our video partners

Migraine Headaches
Know your triggers to prevent a migraine from happening.

I believe it is. I have experienced watery diarrhea and tension headache when I took Potassium pills. Even 1/4 of a 250 mg pill can cause multiple diarrhea for me for up to 3 days.

Answer

I take 99 mg of potassium gluconate twice a day.I have done this for years. It controls water retention and lowers my blood presure. I have never had diarrhea from it. But if I take potassium citrate I will have terrible gas.

Answer: Although I've not experienced diarrhea myself, I believe diarreah could be a side-effect of potassium supplements or anything else horrible tasting that a person could eat or drink. I believe that's one reason why humans are equipped with a sense of taste, to protect the stomach from horrible-tasting things. 250 mg. potassium tablets are not available where I live, so I've been eating 100mg. tablets daily. If I eat a 100mg. potassium tablet, or any other kind of horrible tasting tablet, even after a meal, I must crush it, first of all, because my throat is narrow and not capable of swallowing anything hard that's approx. pea-sized or bigger. I bought a handy pill-crusher that means without it, I'd probably be deficient of several nutrients. I put my crushed tablet on a spoon and put it in my mouth. Then I put one or two teaspoons of something good-tasting or sweet in my mouth, such as white sugar or my new favorite, strawberry jam. I mix the crushed pill with sugar or jam, etc. in my mouth and then swallow it a little at a time, to make sure it's sweet enough. By taking the time to make sure the mixture tastes reasonably good, my stomach does not react badly. You may be able to fool your sense of taste, by quickly swallowing, but will it agree with your stomach?

First answer by ID0000000000. Last edit by Tschuett. Contributor trust: 126 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 169 [recommend question]