Table 3.

Net acid excretion, potassium parameters, and bone turnover markers for the 52 men and women over age 55 years randomized to placebo (n=18), potassium citrate 60 mmol/day (n=17), or potassium citrate 90 mmol/day (n=17).

	Placebo	K Citrate 60 mmol/day	K Citrate 90 mmol/day
Net Acid Excretion (mmol/day)
Baseline	22.4 ± 4.0	22.9 ± 7.8	17.0 ± 4.3
Six months	16.1 ± 4.5	−11.3 ± 4.9a	−29.5 ± 4.5a
Change	−5.6 ± 3.3	−31.9 ± 7.8b	−39.8 ± 7.6a
Serum Potassium (mmol/L)
Baseline	4.2 ± 0.1	4.1 ± 0.1	4.1 ± 0.1
Six months	4.2 ± 0.1	4.3 ± 0.1	4.3 ± 0.1
Change	−0.02 ± 0.1	0.15 ± 0.1	0.26 ± 0.1
Urine Potassium (mmol/day)
Baseline	85.2 ± 8.4	75.3 ± 10.4	73.4 ± 8.8
Six months	67.3 ± 4.7	100.6 ± 9.6a	138.6 ± 13.6a,c
Change	−13.1 ± 8.0	42.0 ± 14.9b	67.3 ± 14.0b
Bone specific alkaline phosphatase (μg/L)
Baseline	11.8 ± 1.3	11.8 ± 1.3	11.3 ± 1.1
Six months	10.8 ± 1.1	10.6 ± 1.2	9.0 ± 1.1
Change	−0.95 ± 0.8	−1.1 ± 0.9	−1.8 ± 0.8
Serum C-telopeptide (ng/L)
Baseline	186.1 ± 35.3	253.7 ± 27.2	256.8 ± 37.9
Six months	231.1 ± 18.0	174.6 ± 26.6	222.9 ± 38.5
Change	44.0 ± 27.6	−71.6 ± 40.7d	−34.6 ± 39.1d

Values are mean ± SE. Statistical significance indicated by superscripted letters:

^ap<0.001 vs. placebo;

^bp=0.002 vs. placebo;

^cp<0.05 vs potassium citrate 60 mmol/day;

^dp<0.05 vs. placebo.