What Is Potassium Chloride?

FDA regulations at 21 CFR 184.1622 affirm potassium chloride as generally recognized as safe as a direct human food ingredient, used with no limitation other than current good manufacturing practice. In a December 2020 final guidance, the FDA said it intends to exercise enforcement discretion for declaring the name potassium salt as an alternative to potassium chloride in ingredient statements, a change from its draft guidance, which had proposed the name potassium chloride salt.

The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements says many salt substitutes contain potassium chloride as a replacement for some or all of the sodium chloride in salt, with potassium content varying widely, from about 440 mg to 2,800 mg per teaspoon. It says some people, such as those with kidney disease or who are taking certain medications, should consult their health care provider before taking salt substitutes because of the risk of hyperkalemia posed by the high levels of potassium in these products.

A DailyMed label for prescription extended-release potassium chloride tablets warns that solid oral dosage forms of potassium chloride can produce ulcerative or stenotic lesions of the gastrointestinal tract, particularly when the drug remains in contact with the gastrointestinal lining for a prolonged period of time.