Partial neutralization of the acidogenic Western diet with potassium citrate increases bone mass in postmenopausal women with osteopenia.

Study answer

What this study found

Potassium citrate increased bone mineral density compared with potassium chloride, with the clearest benefit at the lumbar spine and hip. The intergroup difference in percentage change in areal BMD at L2-L4 at month 12 was 1.87 0.50% (SEM, P < 0.001; n = 161). Month 12 lumbar spine BMD increased 0.89 0.30% with potassium citrate versus decreased 0.98 0.38% with potassium chloride (P < 0.05). Intergroup differences were also significant for total hip (1.98 0.51%, P < 0.001) and femoral neck (1.39 0.48%, P < 0.001), while distal radius and total body differences were not significant. The…

Study & population

Randomized, single-center trial in postmenopausal women with osteopenia/low bone mass who were nonvegetarian and lived near Basel, Switzerland.

Intervention

Potassium citrate (Kcitrate, wax matrix tablets) was given orally at 10 mmol of trivalent potassium citrate per day in three divided daytime doses for 12 months, providing 30 mmol potassium and 30 mmol bicarbonate daily.

Key limitation

Single-center trial in a relatively narrow population of postmenopausal women with osteopenia, which limits generalizability.

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Original abstract