Potassium citrate vs Potassium gluconate

What is potassium citrate?

Potassium citrate is a potassium salt of citric acid，and it is administered for restoring the right balance of potassium in your body. It has alkalizing properties and is frequently used for acidity control, particularly in conditions such as kidney stones or urinary tract infections. Potassium citrate works as a supplement is maintaining the needful level of mineral. 

What is potassium gluconate?

Potassium gluconate is used for treating potassium deficiencies. It is administered to people who are unable to get needful level of this mineral through their daily diet.  It is easily absorbed by the body and helps replenish potassium levels.  Its primary purpose is to address potassium deficiencies rather than acid-base balance.

Potassium citrate vs Potassium gluconate

The key difference in between these two supplements is: potassium gluconate is made of potassium and gluconic acid while potassium citrate is of potassium and citric acid.  Both potassium citrate and potassium gluconate may be used as food additives or supplements, but they have some slightly different applications. 

Potassium citrate acts as a diuretic (making you pee more), and is used to manage, prevent or treat conditions such as:

Renal tubular acidosis (when the kidneys do not properly remove acids from the blood)

Kidney stones (crystal-like formations in the kidneys)

Low potassium levels (hypokalemia)

Potassium gluconate may be used to manage, prevent or treat low potassium levels (hypokalemia).

As a food additive:

Potassium citrate may be added to foods to enhance flavor, add potassium or regulate acidity. Examples of food products that may contain potassium citrate include some cheeses, margarines and jellies.

Potassium gluconate may be used to regulate the acidity or add potassium to a food product.

Both potassium citrate and potassium gluconate can come in liquid or dry powder forms that dissolve in water. They’re odorless, and both have a salty taste. Potassium citrate forms white or transparent crystals, while potassium gluconate forms yellowish white granules.