Council on Drugs

New Drugs and Developments in Therapeutics Council on Drugs' Statements Potassium and Magnesium Aspartates (Spartase)Summary of Council Opinion. —A preparation containing potassium and magnesium aspartates is claimed to be useful in the management of the fatigue syndrome. However, since there is no precise experimental model analogous to fatigue in man, laboratory evidence of the actions of the aspartates cannot be directly transposed to human situations. The clinical trials to date do not convincingly demonstrate efficacy. Actions and Uses. —Potassium and magnesium aspartates are a mixture of equal amounts by weight of the potassium and magnesium salts of aspartic acid. It is claimed that potassium and magnesium aspartates participate in intermediary metabolism in such a manner that they are therapeutically effective in the management of fatigue. However, there is little evidence to support the assumption that fatigue is due to metabolic insufficiency or inefficiency. The concept of using the potassium