What is the difference between potassium chloride an potassium bicarbonate?

Question

In terms of healthy balance of bodily electrolytes, I'm not sure what difference there is between the two. Is it as simple as potassium chloride is the combination of the electrolytes potassium + chloride while potassium bicarbonate is the combination of the electrolytes potassium + bicarcarbonate? I'm not sure if it breaks down that simply.

Answer 1

Yes, it actually is that simple. Potassium bonds very well to both chloride and bicarbonate. Potassium has a +1 charge, while both chloride and bicarbonate have a -1 charge.

Check out this site for a detailed description of these three electrolytes and their effect on the body:

http://www.medicinenet.com/electrolytes/article.htm

Answer 2

Your best bet to get the exact answer is to talk to a Lab Tech, someone in Histology,Microbiology. Call your local Clinic and ask for the telephone number of the Laboratory they use, or ask your doctor, or try a Google search...

Answer 3

The chemical compound potassium chloride (KCl) is a metal halide composed of potassium and chlorine. In its pure state it is odourless. It has a white or colourless vitreous crystal, with a face-centred cubic structure that cleaves easily in three directions. It is also commonly known as "Muriate of Potash". Potash varies in color from pink or red to white depending on the mining and recovery process used. White potash, sometimes referred to as soluble potash, is usually higher in analysis and is used primarily for making liquid starter fertilizers. KCl is used in medicine, scientific applications, food processing and in judicial execution through lethal injection. It occurs naturally as the mineral sylvite and in combination with sodium chloride as sylvinite.
Potassium is vital in the human body and oral potassium chloride is the common means to replenish it, although it can also be diluted and given intravenously. It can be used as a salt substitute for food, but due to its weak, bitter, unsalty flavor, it is usually mixed with regular salt, sodium chloride, for this purpose to improve the taste. Medically it is used in the treatment of hypokalemia and associated conditions, for digitalis poisoning, and as an electrolyte replenisher.

Potassium bicarbonate (also known as potassium hydrogen carbonate or potassium acid carbonate), is a colorless, odorless, slightly basic, salty substance. The compound is used as a source of carbon dioxide for leavening in baking, extinguishing fire in powder fire extinguishers, acting as a reagent, and a strong buffer in medications. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recognizes potassium bicarbonate as "generally recognized as safe". It is used as a base in foods to regulate pH.

Potassium bicarbonate is soluble in water, and is often found added to bottled water to affect taste; however it is not soluble in alcohol. Decomposition of the substance occurs between 100°C and 120°C into K2CO3 (potassium carbonate), H2O (water), and CO2 (carbon dioxide).
It is found naturally in foods and is necessary for many normal functions of your body, especially the beating of your heart.
Potassium bicarbonate is used to prevent or to treat a potassium deficiency.