Treatment FAQ

how much potassium citrate to take for treatment of uric acid stones

by Taylor Bechtelar Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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Potassium citrate medications work by getting rid of the uric acid

Uric acid

Uric acid is a heterocyclic compound of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and hydrogen with the formula C₅H₄N₄O₃. It forms ions and salts known as urates and acid urates, such as ammonium acid urate. Uric acid is a product of the metabolic breakdown of purine nucleotides, and it is a normal compon…

to make the urine less acidic. The dosage will range anywhere between 30 to 80 mEq/day. However, in a situation where the alkalinity needs to be maintained constantly, then 30-60 mEq three to four times in a day will need to be administered.

For treatment and prevention of kidney stones: Adults—At first, 15 to 30 milliequivalents (mEq) two times a day, or 10 to 20 mEq three times a day. Your doctor may increase your dose as needed. However, the dose is usually not more than 100 mEq per day.

Full Answer

How to increase urinary citrate?

Mechanisms. Supersaturation with respect to the calcium stones depends upon urine concentrations of calcium, oxalate, phosphate, and citrate, and, in the case of calcium phosphate stones, or uric acid stones, urine pH. Giving citrate salts can reduce urine calcium excretion and increase urine citrate. Urine citrate binds urine calcium in a ...

Should I take potassium citrate?

Urinary content of undissociated uric acid, which was high to begin with at 204 +/- 82 mg/day, decreased to the normal range (64 to 108 mg/day) following treatment. Urinary citrate rose from 503 +/- 225 mg/day to 852 to 998 mg/day. Urinary saturation of calcium oxalate significantly declined with potassium citrate treatment.

How to increase citrate levels?

Also, be careful of sugar. Lemon juice concentrate (4 oz per day) mixed with water can be considered. Alkali citrate can be prescribed (such as potassium citrate) and is available over-the-counter. Alkali citrate can be given with a mineral (s), such as sodium, potassium or magnesium to help prevent stone formation.

Does urocit-K/potassium citrate really prevent kidney stones?

Typical dosing is about 20 – 40 mEq of potassium salt daily, but the amount can vary widely. Commercial potassium citrate contains 1080 mg of the compound in a 10 mEq pill. Typically the potassium citrate salts have a potassium on each of the three anion sites on the citrate molecule. The MW of citrate anion is 189.1.

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Jul 23, 2019 · Dog owners may use potassium citrate to help their pup with urinary stones and painful or frequent urination. One study fed 12 healthy dogs either a standard diet or one with 150mg potassium citrate per kilogram of body weight, twice per day.

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Can potassium citrate dissolve uric acid stones?

Conclusion: Urinary alkalization with potassium citrate/bicarbonate is a well tolerated and highly effective treatment, resulting in dissolution of nonobstructing uric acid stones.

Does potassium citrate help reduce uric acid?

In 1985, the FDA approved potassium citrate for the prevention of stone formation in uric acid lithiases and hypocitraturic calcium nephrolithiasis. for stone formation in these conditions will be described, so that the action of potassium citrate can be better appreciated. Gouty Diathesis [6].

How much potassium citrate powder should I take?

For potassium citrate

Adults—At first, 1.08 to 2.16 grams three times a day with meals. Some people may take 1.62 grams four times a day with meals or within thirty minutes after a meal or bedtime snack. Your doctor may change your dose if needed. However, most people usually will not take more than 10.8 grams a day.
Jan 14, 2007

How do you take potassium citrate mixture?

It should be taken well diluted with water, after meals. Shake the bottle before use. The dose may be taken three times a day. Contraindicated in hyperkalaemia, renal dysfunction, ventricular arrhythmics and Addison's Disease.

How many mg of potassium are in 10 mEq potassium citrate?

Potassium citrate is available in extended-release tablets. They are available in 5 mEq (540 mg), 10 mEq (1080 mg), and 15 mEq (1620 mg) strengths.

How much potassium citrate should I take daily?

Adults—At first, 15 to 30 milliequivalents (mEq) two times a day, or 10 to 20 mEq three times a day. Your doctor may increase your dose as needed. However, the dose is usually not more than 100 mEq per day. Children—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.

How many milligrams of potassium are in a teaspoon of citrate?

7,000mg
One teaspoon of this potassium citrate on two different scales is 7gm (7,000mg).

Can you take too much potassium citrate?

Potassium citrate side effects

severe vomiting or stomach pain; high blood potassium--nausea, weakness, tingly feeling, chest pain, irregular heartbeats, loss of movement; or. signs of stomach bleeding--bloody or tarry stools, coughing up blood or vomit that looks like coffee grounds.
May 10, 2021

How many teaspoons is 275 mg of potassium citrate?

Suggested Use: As a dietary supplement, take 275 mg (about 1/10 tsp) once daily, or as directed by a physician.

When should I take potassium citrate?

Potassium citrate is used to treat a kidney stone condition called renal tubular acidosis. It is also used to prevent kidney stones that may occur with gout. Potassium citrate is a urinary alkalinizer. It works by making the urine more alkaline (less acid).

How much potassium is in potassium citrate?

38.28% potassium
It is odorless with a saline taste. It contains 38.28% potassium by mass. In the monohydrate form, it is highly hygroscopic and deliquescent. As a food additive, potassium citrate is used to regulate acidity, and is known as E number E332.

What are symptoms of too much potassium citrate?

Symptoms of overdose
  • Abdominal or stomach pain.
  • difficult breathing.
  • irregular heartbeat.
  • numbness or tingling in the hands, feet, or lips.
  • weakness or heaviness of the legs.

How much potassium citrate excretes urine?

Stone formers with urine citrate excretion rates below 643 mg/day (3.4 mmol/day) were allocated to potassium citrate 60 mEq/day in 3 divided doses. Their mean urine citrate excretion was 359 mg/day. At the end of three years of followup, 20/28 placebo treated and 18/27 citrate treated subjects remained. New stones occurred in 14/20 placebo and 5/18 treated cases, a significant departure from chance.

How much does citrate increase risk of kidney stones?

In a prospective study of two nurse (red) and one male physician cohort (blue) Curhan found that relative risk of kidney stone onset (vertical axis) rose as urine citrate excretion (shown in hexiles along the horizontal axis) fell. Below 400 mg/day of urine citrate risk was – compared to above 800 mg/day) increased by nearly 2 fold. Mean relative risk is at the ends of the shaded bars. The upper 95% of risk is at the tops of the filled bars. Even though the average risk (end of crosshatched bars) remained below 1.

What is the effect of increased urine volume on kidney stones?

The effect of increased urine volume is to reduce urine supersaturation with respect to stone forming salts and therefore reduce the risk of crystal formation which is the basis for kidney stones.

How many people completed the citrate salt trial?

Despite the variability of design, one can, with nerve, simply ask about the beneficial effects of citrate salts across all the trials. In all five trials 283 people completed the desired treatment period. Of these, 97/283 (34%) formed new stones or, in the case of the post procedure trials showed growth of retained fragments. Among all patients who were given citrate salts, 20/135 (14.8%) formed new stones or showed growth of retained fragments vs. 77/148 (52%) of those given placebo.

Does citrate increase calcium?

Supersaturation with respect to the calcium stones depends upon urine concentrations of calcium, oxalate, phosphate, and citrate, and, in the case of calcium phosphate stones, or uric acid stones, urine pH. Giving citrate salts can reduce urine calcium excretion and increase urine citrate. Urine citrate binds urine calcium in a soluble citrate complex, which reduced calcium salt supersaturations. Citrate inhibits crystal formation, growth and aggregation. The alkaline citrate salts can raise urine pH.

Does citrate affect calcium crystallization?

Citrate salts can raise urine pH, so they can raise supersaturation with respect to calcium phosphate salts. On the other hand, citrate is an inhibitor of crystallization both because it is calcium binding and because it directly affects calcium crystal growth.

Is uric acid dangerous?

Uric acid stones are common in diabetics and people with reduced renal function; potassium loads are potentially dangerous. Perhaps this is more obvious among uric acid stone formers than calcium stone formers, although given wide spread use of ACE and ARB drugs and NSAIDS, potential risk is everywhere.

Can extended release tablets pass through your stools?

While taking the extended-release tablet, part of it may pass into your stools. This is normal and is nothing to worry about.

Can kidney stones be treated with salt?

To do so may increase the chance of side effects. In addition to the use of this medicine, treatment for your kidney stones may include changes in the types of foods you eat, especially foods high in sodium (salt). Your doctor will tell you which of these are most important for you.

How to reduce uric acid in blood?

Follow a healthy diet plan that has mostly vegetables and fruits, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products. Limit sugar-sweetened foods and drinks, especially those that have high fructose corn syrup. Limit alcohol because it can increase uric acid levels in the blood and avoid short term diets for the same reason.

How to prevent kidney stones?

Maintaining a healthy weight is also important for managing overall health and in preventing kidney stones. Being overweight increases your risk of kidney stones. Managing blood pressure and controlling salt intake is also important. A dietitian can help you plan meals to help you lose weight.

Why does uric acid increase in urine?

Inherited problems in how the body processes uric acid or protein in the diet can increase the acid in urine. This can be seen in conditions such as gout, a condition where people can have high levels of uric acid in the blood and painful deposits of crystals in the joints. There is also an increased risk of uric acid stones in people with diabetes.

What is the procedure to remove a large stone?

If these treatments do not work, or if the stone is too large to pass through, then surgical procedures may be needed to break down larger stones or remove them. A ureteroscopy uses a small scope to remove the stone. Shock wave lithotripsy (SWL) uses high-energy acoustic pulses to break up the stone into smaller pieces for passing. Percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) removes the stone surgically through the back.

What is the purpose of alkali citrate?

Alkali citrate can be given with a mineral (s), such as sodium, potassium or magnesium to help prevent stone formation. The aim is to increase urine citrate (for prevention of calcium stones) and increase urine pH (or make urine less acidic or more alkaline, for prevention of uric acid and cystine stones). The goal is to keep pH in balance.

How to make urine less concentrated?

Drinking enough water each day is important in maintaining overall health and will help keep your urine less concentrated with waste products. Darker urine is more concentrated, so your urine should appear light yellow to clear if you are well hydrated. Drinking enough fluids to make at least two liters of urine per day may be recommended. Fluid restrictions might apply if you have advanced kidney disease, so speak with a healthcare professional about the right amount of water for you.

How to know if a stone is too big?

A stone that is small enough can pass through with no symptoms. However, a stone that is too large to pass through may cause significant pain, back-up of urine, infection and other health problems. Speak with a healthcare professional if you feel any of these symptoms: 1 Severe pain on either side of your lower back 2 Vague flank pain or stomach ache that doesn’t go away 3 Blood in the urine 4 Nausea or vomiting 5 Fever and chills 6 Urine that smells bad or looks cloudy

How much citrate is in blood?

In one published study, concentration of citrate in blood is about 80 – 170 micromolar. A r ecent review places it at 120 micromoles/liter. If we use 120 micromoles/liter as a reasonable average, and a common value for glomerular filtration of 120 milliliters/minute, the filtration of citrate is about 21 millimoles a day. Of this about 1 – 4 millimoles appear in the urine, the rest being reabsorbed by the kidney cells. So the fraction of filtered citrate excreted is about 5 to 20%, and regulation of this fraction controls the amount of citrate in the urine.

Which transporter allows citrate to enter the kidney?

The citrate that enters the renal cells can be used for metabolism, or transported out the other side – called the basolateral side, facing the blood – via another transporter called the Organic Acid Transporter (OAT). Yet another transporter, NaDC3, permits citrate to enter kidney cells from blood.

Does sodium alkali lower calcium?

Urine citrate rose with both treatments, as did the urine pH. Not relevant here, but in later articles, the sodium alkali did not change urine calcium, but the potassium alkali lowered urine calcium. Alkali itself lowers urine calcium, sodium raises it, and their antagonism is the reason for the differences.

How many units are in the kidney?

Others are neither and we need to have names in common. Human kidneys are made of about one million individual nephron units. The renal process begins with filtration of small molecules like citrate, or atoms like sodium and calcium, through the glomerulus, which is a complex of capillaries whose filtration pressure arises from the heart not a foot away.

Can you use alkali for kidney stones?

Physicians who treat kidney stones may well be the main ones who prescribe alkali loads to people with normal kidney function over months or even years or decades of life. This is indeed a remarkable physiological and clinical experiment, and that we do it makes the physiology and cell biology of acid base balance a central topic in clinical practice of stone prevention.

Do potassium citrate pills reverse kidney physiology?

The pills, being alkali, reverse this lifelong adaptation and thereby profoundly alter the physiology of the kidneys and bone. In general one might say the alterations are for the better. This is a long article but one worth reading for those who prescribe or take potassium citrate pills.

Does potassium lower the pH of urine?

Potassium. But – that awful word – one important fact remains to be uttered. Depletion of potassium lowers the pH inside kidney cells and lowers urine citrate. I will not pursue the details of this well worn story, except to point out its extreme clinical relevance.

What are some supplements that contain potassium citrate?

Many commonly used products interact with potassium citrate including NSAIDS, antacids, cold/allergy medications, aspirin and diuretics. Also, many nutritional supplements like multivitamins and mineral formulas contain potassium. Be sure to report their use to your doctor to avoid overdosing.

What is potassium citrate used for?

Potassium citrate is most often used to improve kidney stones.

What is the best medicine for dogs with urinary stones?

Dog owners may use potassium citrate to help their pup with urinary stones and painful or frequent urination.

Why is potassium citrate important?

Because of these roles, it can be used to support a variety of health conditions. Potassium citrate in particular produces alkalizing effects in the body, helping to balance urinary pH levels.

How many people have had a stroke from potassium citrate?

So far, of the 1,749 people who experienced side effects while on potassium citrate, 15 or 0.86% have had a stroke, especially in older males ( 10 ).

What is potassium combined with?

In supplemental or medication form, potassium is combined with other molecules like carbonate, chloride or hydroxide to form salts.

Why is potassium not fortified in food?

This is due to its rapid impact on blood pressure.

What is the best treatment for uric acid stones?

Urinary alkalization with potassium citrate/bicarbonate is a well tolerated and highly effective treatment, resulting in dissolution of nonobstructing uric acid stones.

What is the most important factor for uric acid stone formation?

However, the most important factor for uric acid stone formation is persistently acidic urine that represents a prerequisite for uric acid stone formation and growth. Urinary alkalization with alkali administration has been advocated for dissolution of stones on the basis of estabilished clinical experience.

Why is potassium alkali used in stone dissolution?

Potassium alkali were chosen in order to reduce the risk of calcium precipitation because of their calcium-lowering effect. The effects of treatment on stone dissolution was evaluated by ultrasonography after each study period (6 weeks and 12 weeks).

How many chances of getting a kidney stone?

It’s estimated that if a person gets a stone, there is a 30% to 50% chance of getting. another stone within 5 years.5 The good news is that most kidney stones can be. managed with a combination of medication, diet, and lifestyle changes.

What causes high potassium levels in the body?

Have high levels of potassium in your blood, or you have any condition that may put you at risk for high blood potassium such as chronic kidney failure, uncontrolled diabetes, severe dehydration (loss of body water), strenuous exercise if you are not used to it, adrenal insufficiency (your adrenal glands do not produce enough of certain chemicals), or you have a condition that causes extensive breakdown of tissues in your body, such as severe burns

What is urocit K?

INDICATIONS: Urocit ® -K (potassium citrate) extended-release tablets are a prescription medicine used in the management of two common types of kidney stones: calcium oxalate stones and uric acid stones. Urocit-K can also help treat certain metabolic problems (acidosis) caused by kidney disease.

What is Urocit K 15 MEQ?

Urocit-K, available in 3 dosage strengths, is a prescription treatment that restores the chemical balance in the kidneys which helps prevent kidney stones.

What are the side effects of Urocit K?

The most common side effects of Urocit-K are abdominal discomfort, vomiting, diarrhea, loose stools, or nausea. Taking each dose with meals or snacks can help reduce these side effects, or you can talk to your doctor about reducing your dose.

Can Urocit K cause stomach pain?

This may reduce the risk of serious side effects. Certain medicines can interact with Urocit-K and irritate your stomach and intestines. If you experience severe vomiting, abdominal pain, black, tarry stools, or other signs of intestinal bleeding, stop taking Urocit-K and see your doctor immediately.

What percentage of kidney stones are made of uric acid?

Uric acid kidney stones make up about 10% of kidney stones in the United States. ( 1) Calcium oxalate kidney stones are the most common and make up about 75% of kidney stones. Kidney stones can also be made of calcium phosphate, struvite or cystine.

What is the best treatment for uric acid in kidneys?

The most common medical treatment for uric acid kidney stones are medications. Potassium citrate or sodium bicarbonate are commonly used to reduce acid in urine. ( 4)

How do you know if you have uric acid in your kidneys?

The most common symptoms of kidney stones are: Pain in the lower back or groin. Bloody urine.

Why does urine have a low pH?

Low Urine pH. The main cause of uric acid kidney stones is urine that is too acidic. Uric acid becomes less soluble, and more likely to make a kidney stone, in acid. ( 2) The amount of acid in your urine is measured by urine pH. Lower urine pH means that there is more acid in your urine. For kidney stone prevention, ...

What does it mean when your urine pH is lower?

Lower urine pH means that there is more acid in your urine. For kidney stone prevention, urine pH should be between approximately 5.8 and 6.2. A urine pH of less than 5.5 is a significant risk factor for uric acid kidney stones. ( 3)

What foods are high in purines?

It is a good idea to limit foods high in purines as much as you can to prevent uric acid kidney stones. Red meat (beef, lamb, goat, etc.) Processed meats (bacon, sausage, lunchmeat, bologna, salami, etc.) Organ meats. Seafood.

How to prevent kidney stones?

Step 1: Drink Plenty of Water. Water is key to prevention of any type of kidney stone. Most people should drink enough to make 2 1/2 liters of urine each day. For most of us, this means drinking 3 liters (or, about 100 fluid ounces) of fluid each day.

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