What Does Potassium Citrate Do for My Body? The Critical Role of this Supplement

October 6, 2025 •

4 min read

According to the National Kidney Foundation, more than half a million people go to emergency rooms for kidney stone problems each year. In many cases, a prescribed medication such as potassium citrate plays a key role in preventing and managing the condition by reducing urine acidity and inhibiting crystal formation.

Quick Summary

Potassium citrate is a salt used to make urine less acidic, which is critical for preventing the formation of kidney stones. It also helps correct metabolic acidosis and provides potassium for vital bodily functions, including nerve transmission and muscle contraction.

Key Points

Urinary Alkalinizer: Potassium citrate raises the pH of urine, making it less acidic, which is its primary therapeutic function.
Kidney Stone Prevention: It effectively prevents the formation of calcium oxalate and uric acid kidney stones by inhibiting crystal formation and binding to calcium in the urine.
Metabolic Acidosis Management: This supplement is used to treat and correct metabolic acidosis, a condition of excess acid in the body, particularly in patients with kidney issues.
Bone Health Support: By reducing the amount of calcium lost in urine, potassium citrate helps protect and preserve bone mineral density.
Electrolyte Balance: As a source of potassium, it supports key bodily functions like nerve transmission, muscle contraction, and maintaining healthy blood pressure.
Not a General Potassium Supplement: It is not interchangeable with other potassium salts like potassium chloride and is primarily indicated for specific conditions like kidney stones, not for general potassium deficiency (hypokalemia).
Requires Medical Supervision: The risk of hyperkalemia and other side effects means potassium citrate should only be taken under a doctor's guidance.

Understanding Potassium Citrate

Potassium citrate is a potassium salt of citric acid, a compound naturally found in citrus fruits. While it is a source of potassium, its primary medical and dietary function is to act as a urinary alkalinizer. After being absorbed and metabolized by the body, potassium citrate provides an alkaline load that increases the pH of urine. This alkalinizing effect is the foundation for its various therapeutic uses and overall benefits for the body.

The Mechanism Behind Urinary Alkalinization

When you ingest potassium citrate, the citrate component is absorbed and metabolized. The metabolism of citrate produces bicarbonate, which is then excreted in the urine. This process makes the urine less acidic and more alkaline. An increase in urinary pH is important for two primary reasons:

Kidney Stone Prevention: Many types of kidney stones, particularly calcium oxalate and uric acid stones, form more easily in acidic urine. By raising the urine pH, potassium citrate creates an environment that is less favorable for these crystals to form and clump together. The increased citrate also binds with urinary calcium, decreasing the availability of free calcium ions needed for stone formation.
Metabolic Acidosis Management: In conditions like renal tubular acidosis (RTA), the kidneys struggle to excrete acid, leading to a build-up of acid in the blood. The alkaline load from potassium citrate helps correct this imbalance, restoring the body's acid-base balance.

Medical Applications and Benefits

Beyond its core function, potassium citrate offers several specific health benefits, especially in clinical contexts.

Preventing Kidney Stones

This is perhaps the most well-known and widespread use of potassium citrate. For individuals prone to forming calcium oxalate or uric acid stones, potassium citrate can be a game-changer. The increase in urinary citrate helps inhibit spontaneous crystal nucleation, preventing the initial steps of stone formation. A higher urinary pH also dissolves uric acid stones, effectively treating existing small stones and preventing new ones.

Correcting Metabolic Acidosis

Potassium citrate is the preferred alkali source for treating metabolic acidosis, particularly in patients with kidney disorders. Unlike sodium-based alternatives, it does not cause volume expansion, which is a concern for many patients with renal issues.

Supporting Bone Health

Research suggests that potassium citrate supplementation may help preserve bone mineral density by decreasing calcium excretion through urine. This makes it a potential therapeutic option for preventing osteoporosis, particularly in postmenopausal women with low-grade metabolic acidosis.

Promoting Cardiovascular Health

As a potassium salt, potassium citrate provides the body with the essential mineral potassium. Adequate potassium intake is crucial for maintaining normal blood pressure and overall cardiovascular function. It plays a key role in regulating fluid balance, nerve signals, and muscle contractions, including those of the heart.

How to Increase Potassium and Citrate Naturally

For those who do not require a prescription-strength supplement, increasing dietary intake of potassium and natural citrate can provide similar benefits. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables can significantly boost natural citrate levels and contribute to urinary alkalinization.

Some great sources of dietary potassium and citrate include:

Citrus Fruits: Oranges, grapefruits, lemons, and limes are excellent sources of natural citrate.
Bananas: Known for their high potassium content, bananas also contain potassium citrate.
Potatoes: A single baked potato can provide a substantial amount of potassium.
Avocados: Another fruit loaded with potassium.
Spinach: A nutrient-dense leafy green rich in potassium.
Legumes: Beans and lentils are great sources of potassium.
Dried Fruits: Dried apricots and prunes are concentrated sources of potassium.

Potassium Citrate vs. Potassium Chloride

It is important to understand the key differences between these two common potassium supplements, as they serve different primary purposes.


Feature	Potassium Citrate	Potassium Chloride
Primary Purpose	Prevents and treats certain kidney stones by alkalinizing urine.	Treats and prevents low blood potassium levels (hypokalemia).
Mechanism	Metabolized to bicarbonate, which raises urine pH.	Primarily provides potassium ions to increase serum potassium levels.
Main Effect on Urine	Makes urine more alkaline (less acidic).	Has minimal effect on urine pH.
Indications	Hypocitraturic calcium oxalate nephrolithiasis, uric acid lithiasis, renal tubular acidosis.	Hypokalemia caused by medication, vomiting, or other factors.
Availability	Prescription extended-release tablets and solutions.	Various forms, including powder, liquid, capsules, and tablets.

Important Considerations and Risks

While beneficial for many, potassium citrate is not suitable for everyone. It is available by prescription and should only be used under medical supervision, especially for managing conditions like kidney stones. The most significant risk is hyperkalemia, or dangerously high potassium levels, which can be life-threatening.

Patients with certain pre-existing conditions should avoid potassium citrate unless directed by a doctor:

Kidney Disease: Individuals with poor kidney function are at high risk of hyperkalemia because their kidneys cannot efficiently excrete potassium.
Hyperkalemia: Anyone with already high potassium levels should not take this supplement.
Gastrointestinal Issues: The medication can cause GI irritation and is risky for those with a history of stomach ulcers or bowel obstructions.
Certain Medications: Interactions can occur with potassium-sparing diuretics, ACE inhibitors, and certain NSAIDs.

Conclusion

What does potassium citrate do for my body? In summary, it is a powerful urinary alkalinizer with a vital role in preventing kidney stones, correcting metabolic acidosis, and contributing to bone and heart health. By making urine less acidic, it creates an unfavorable environment for mineral crystals to form and accumulate. As a prescribed medication, it is a crucial tool for managing specific health conditions. However, due to the risk of hyperkalemia and interactions with other medications, it should only be used under a doctor's supervision. For general health, a diet rich in natural potassium and citrate from fruits and vegetables is the best and safest approach.

For more detailed information on how potassium citrate works on a cellular level, you can explore scientific literature, such as resources from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Frequently Asked Questions

The primary function of potassium citrate is to make urine less acidic and more alkaline. This effect is crucial for preventing the formation of certain types of kidney stones, including calcium oxalate and uric acid stones.

Potassium citrate prevents kidney stones by increasing the citrate and pH levels in urine. The increased citrate binds with calcium, reducing the concentration of calcium available to form stones. The higher pH also makes it harder for uric acid crystals to form.

No, potassium citrate and potassium chloride are not the same. While both provide potassium, they have different uses. Potassium citrate is for preventing kidney stones, while potassium chloride is primarily used to correct low potassium levels (hypokalemia).

Common side effects include mild stomach upset, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. Serious but less common side effects can include hyperkalemia (high blood potassium levels).

Individuals with severe kidney disease, hyperkalemia (high potassium), untreated urinary tract infections, severe dehydration, or a history of stomach ulcers should not take potassium citrate without a doctor's explicit instruction.

Yes, you can increase your intake of natural citrate and potassium by eating foods like citrus fruits (oranges, lemons), bananas, potatoes, avocados, and legumes. This can contribute to a more alkaline urine environment.

If prescribed, potassium citrate is typically taken with meals as extended-release tablets or an oral solution. It is often recommended to take it with plenty of fluids to ensure proper absorption and to aid kidney function.