Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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This invention relates to an improved potassium-supplement composi-
tion and its preparation. There are a number of medical conditions that are
treated by oral administration of potassium, e.g. hypokalemias resulting Erom
side-effects of diuretics, from excessive diarrhea and from excessive vomiting.
Potassium chloride pills are a well-known supplement. but are prone
to ulcerate the intestinal tract, particularly if they are enteric-coated.
Conventionally, this problem is attacked by administering the potassium chloridein dilute, aqueous solution. ~lowever, this solution is singularly unpalatable`
and many patients are quite unable to take the usual dose of about 15 to 20
Meq.
Accordingly, it is an ob~ect of the present invention to provide;an ~
improved potassium-supplement Colllpositioll that is more palatable and less toxic ~-;
than heretofore.
The invention provides a dry potassium-supplement composition com- ~;
prising from 10 to 50% by weight of the composition of one or more mineral salts ;~
selected from the group consisting of the chloride, citrate, bicarbonate and
diphosphates of potasslum ancl sodium, with the proportion in equivalants o
sodium, if any is present, not exceeding that of potassium, wherein from 25 to
50~0 by weight of the balance of the composition comprises a water-soluble~
carbohydrate, foodstuff ingredient5 whilst from 50 to 75% be weight of sald
balance comprises an organic, potassium-containing foodstuff ingredient at least;
: ~
half of whicll is milk solids, ~hilst the remainder, if any, of said potassium-
containing foodstuff ingredient is a flavor enhancing, plant derived foodstoff.
This composition can be made to be dry, palatable and safe, and
readily dispersible in water. It has an excellent taste and appeals to the
patient as a food supplement rather than a medicine. Furthermore, by completing
the anionic portion of the mineral salts ingredient with substantially equsl
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portions of bicarbonate, citrate, and diphosphate, a better balance of anions
more closely related to natural potassium sources can be obtained.
Preferably, the proportion of mineral salts is from 15 to 30% by
weight of the composition and one quarter to one half of the salt ingredient ïs
comprised by the chloricle.
Some examples of suitable flavor-enhancing, plant-derived foodstuffs
are cocoa, powdered tomato and ground nuts, and a preferred proportion is from
20 to ~0~ by weigllt of said remainder of the organic, potassium-containing
fooclstuff ingredient. The carbohydrate ingredient can be sugar, a non-hydro-
scopic starch hydrolysate, or a mixture thereof.
The composition can be prepared by the steps of mixing and dissolving -
~the various ingredients in water and spray-drying the resulting dispersion
or solution.
~ en the condition to be treated is one of potassium depletion, sodium
will not usually be inc:Luded in the composLtion. ~lowever, where there is a
condition of severe dehydration, and accompanying loss o salts as may occur
witll excessive cliarrllea or vomiting, then sodi~ml replacement may also be
desired, and a sodium-containing composition wi]l be used. Since the taste of
sodium chloride is much better than that of potassium chloride, a very palatable
product results. `
~ Iy invention displays a synergistic effect in that the milk ingredients~
and potassium-containing flavor-enhancers not only render the potassium salts
palatable, enabling them to be taken in dilute form, and thus, safely, but
because they are themselves rich in potassium, the amount of potassium salt
needed can be reduced. I have found that cocoa not only provides considerable
potassium, but it is one of the best masking agents for the large amounts of
the pure chemical potassium sources in the first group which are used in such
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a preparation. Because "dutched" cocoa is higller in potassium salts, this is
the preferred form of cocoa which I use in such a product.
Since mi]k powder, besides supplying potassium, also supplies sodium
ions, which under some circumstances might be undesirable, I use milk products
such as milk solids, caseinates and whey products whicll have been previously
dialyzed (to reduce the sodium).
The composition may include sugar for sweetening, or the sugar may be
reduced or excluded and supplemented with an artificial or other sweetener,
such as saccharin, cyclamate, aspartame, xylitol, levulose, etc.
The composition may be combined with flavour-and character-modifying
ingredients such as starch hydrolysates, exemplified by starch hydrolysates hav-
ing a low aEfinity Eor moisture such as those having DE values of about 10-lS.
I~hen the compositioll is spray-dried and agglomerated, the total mix-
ture is usually dissolved in water before spray-drying. ~lternatively, the
milk portion with or without the cocoa lllay be spray-clriecl and agglomerated and
the final potassium supplement made by simple mixing. Spray drying has the
advalltage of producing a uniform product.
I have discovered that [ can also produce a ~Iniform procluct by com-
bining the ingredients and mixing them vigorously with the addition of lecithin.
The lecithin may be added hot, if desired, and it may be diluted with a fat such
as cocoa butter prior to adding it to the mixture in the mixer. The mixing is
continued until the entire mixturè is uniform. I prefer to use as little ~ ~
lecithin as necessary which ranges from ~ to 1.5% of the total mixture, --
occasionally more. The objective of the lecithin is to produce a product which
readily disperses in water, cmd at the same time produces a more uniform product
because it tends to tie all the ingredients together. ~
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Example of Potassium Supplement
Salts
Potassium Chloride 2.27 pounds
Potassium Citrate 3.60 "
Potassium Bicarbonate 3.33 "
Dipotassium Phosphate 3.30
~ooclstuff
Dutched Cocoa 26.7 pounds
Agglomerated Non-fat
~ilk Powder 32.0
Excipients ~ Flavors
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Sugar 9.0 poun(ls
Maltodextrin D~10 lS.0 "
Potassium Saccharin 0.36 "
Vanilla flavors 1.44 "
The above formula produces 100 pounds. Lecithin has not been shown in the above
formula because its use depends upon the process. If the product is made by
vigorous mixing, approximately ~ pound oE lecithin might be used. The flavor
of the above product may also be improved somewhat by the use of approximately
one pound of silica gel (Cabosil)* in the formula to improve pourability and
prevention of l-lmp9-
~xample of Potassium-Sodium-~nion Supplement
The above formula is modified somewhat. The excipients and flavors
remain mucll the same, and the foodstuff ingredients as shown in the second group~
remain the same. As stated previously, instead of potassium chloride, sodlum
chloride is used. Also, instead of potassium bicarbonate, sodium bicarbonate
would be preferred.
~lile the ratios of sodium to potassium have not been established pre-
cisely, the product shown above would be quite satisfactory. It should be
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stressed that the formulations described in this application are for oral use
only. ~cute conditions often require more chloride ions, and it is not an
object of this invention to prepare a product for acute conditions. In the
chronic conditions resuLting from diarrhea and vomiting over some period of
time, there is also the need for carbohydrate. The excipients shown in the
above forn~ula in this latter Eunction now become active ingredients and serve
a double purpose of making a product palatable but also supplying very much
needed carbohydrate. If desired, these may be increased, and for treating
infants, slight modification of the formulations would be indicated, possibly
elimination of the cocoa if the feeding is by bottle.
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