What Is Potaba? Uses, Dosage, and What You Need to Know in 2026

If you've been prescribed Potaba, you may be wondering: what exactly is it, how does it work, and what conditions does it treat? This comprehensive guide answers those questions and covers everything you need to know about taking Potaba safely and effectively in 2026.

What Is Potaba?

Potaba is the brand name for potassium aminobenzoate (also written as potassium para-aminobenzoate or POTABA). It is a prescription medication classified as an antifibrotic agent. Chemically, it is the potassium salt of p-aminobenzoic acid (PABA), which is a member of the vitamin B complex.

Potaba has been on the market for decades and is used primarily to treat conditions characterized by abnormal fibrous tissue formation — a process called fibrosis — in the skin and connective tissues. Despite being a prescription medication, it is classified by the FDA in the oral nutritional supplement drug class, reflecting its origins as a B-vitamin derivative.

What Conditions Does Potaba Treat?

Potaba is prescribed for several fibrotic conditions:

Peyronie's disease: A condition where fibrous plaques (scar tissue) form inside the penis, causing penile curvature, pain, and sometimes erectile dysfunction. This is the most common reason Potaba is prescribed in the United States.

Scleroderma (systemic sclerosis): An autoimmune disease that causes the skin and connective tissues to harden and tighten.

Dermatomyositis: An inflammatory disease causing muscle weakness and skin rash, sometimes accompanied by fibrosis.

Morphea: A form of localized scleroderma that causes patches of hardened skin.

Pemphigus: A group of rare autoimmune blistering skin disorders.

Potaba Dosage: How Much Do You Take?

The standard adult dose of Potaba is 12 grams per day, divided into four doses of 3 grams each. Each Potaba capsule contains 500 mg of potassium aminobenzoate, which means a 3-gram dose requires taking 6 capsules. Over the course of a day, a patient on the standard regimen takes 24 capsules.

For children, the dose is weight-based: 1 gram per 10 pounds of body weight per day, also divided into multiple doses.

Potaba is also available in a powder form that can be dissolved in juice or water, which may be easier for patients who have difficulty taking large numbers of capsules.

How to Take Potaba Correctly

Always take with food: Taking Potaba with meals or a substantial snack reduces nausea and the risk of low blood sugar.

Take with a full glass of water: Helps with absorption and reduces GI discomfort.

Space doses evenly: Four times per day (with breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a bedtime snack) works for most patients.

Don't skip doses: Potaba works best when consistent blood levels are maintained. Take missed doses as soon as you remember, but skip if it's almost time for your next dose.

Avoid alcohol: Alcohol can worsen GI side effects.

Who Should NOT Take Potaba?

Patients currently taking sulfonamide (sulfa) antibiotics — Potaba antagonizes their effects.

Patients with severe kidney (renal) disease.

Patients with a known allergy to potassium aminobenzoate or related compounds.

Is Potaba Effective? What the Research Says

Evidence for Potaba's effectiveness is mixed. A 2005 randomized, placebo-controlled study of 103 patients with Peyronie's disease found that Potaba significantly reduced plaque size and appeared to stabilize penile curvature compared to placebo, preventing progression — but it did not improve existing curvature. There have been no further large randomized controlled trials.

The AUA and EAU guidelines do not recommend Potaba as first-line therapy for Peyronie's disease. For fibrotic skin conditions, clinical use is based on case experience and older studies rather than modern randomized trials.

To understand how Potaba works at the cellular level, read How Does Potaba Work? Mechanism of Action Explained in Plain English.

For a full list of potential side effects, see Potaba Side Effects: What to Expect and When to Call Your Doctor.