Nutrition in case of renal insufficiency
Martina Feichter studied biology with an elective subject pharmacy in Innsbruck and also immersed herself in the world of medicinal plants. From there it was not far to other medical topics that still captivate her to this day. She trained as a journalist at the Axel Springer Academy in Hamburg and has been working for since 2007 - first as an editor and since 2012 as a freelance writer.
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Diet has a major impact on the treatment and progression of renal failure. Those who follow the recommendations of doctors or dietitians can therefore provide significant support in the treatment of chronic kidney failure. Read here what the optimal kidney diet looks like.
ICD codes for this disease: ICD codes are internationally recognized codes for medical diagnoses. They can be found, for example, in doctor's letters or on certificates of incapacity for work. N17N19Z49N18I13
Acute renal failure
Acute kidney weakness can lead to increased protein breakdown and fat metabolism disorders. Therefore, pay attention to your calorie intake. We recommend 35 to 40 kilocalories per kilogram of body weight per day.
Drink about as much as you urinated the day before. If the urine excretion is too low, patients should eat a diet low in potassium, sodium and protein. On the other hand, if the urine excretion is too high, a diet rich in potassium and sodium is recommended. In this way, the loss of mineral salts can be compensated. You can remedy the loss of fluids by drinking enough water.
Chronic renal failure
Chronic renal failure: diet low in protein
A reduced protein intake can apparently slow down the progression of renal insufficiency. You should therefore not consume more than 0.6 to 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day.
The protein consumed should have a high biological value, i.e. it should consist of many protein components that the body cannot produce itself (essential amino acids). The combination of different protein sources ensures the supply of all important compounds. Ideal protein mixtures are, for example, potatoes and eggs, beans and eggs, milk and wheat, eggs and wheat, and legumes and wheat.
The use of low-protein special products such as low-protein flour and products made from it (bread, pastries) is also recommended.
Caution! The controlled protein intake only applies to patients who do not yet need dialysis (see below).
Chronic renal failure: diet low in phosphate
Chronic kidney weakness has a negative effect on bone metabolism, among other things - the stability of the bones decreases. In order not to further intensify this effect, a low-phosphate kidney diet is recommended, because too much phosphate makes the bones more fragile.
The recommended amount of phosphate is 0.8 to 1 gram per day. You should limit the consumption of foods with a high phosphate content. These include, for example, nuts, muesli, offal and whole grain bread. Many dairy products such as milk, yogurt and buttermilk are also high in phosphate. Cheeses such as quark, cream cheese, camembert, brie cheese, mozzarella, Harzer Roller and Limburger are cheaper.
If possible, avoid foods with production-related phosphate additives such as processed cheese, cooked cheese, canned milk and some types of sausage. You may want to ask about the phosphate content when buying sausage products in the butcher's shop. You can recognize phosphate additives on the list of ingredients for food by the E numbers E 338 to E 341, E 450 a to c, E 540, E 543 and E 544.
By the way: there is a close relationship between the phosphate and protein content - protein-rich foods usually also contain a lot of phosphate.
Chronic renal failure: diet low in potassium
Especially in the advanced stage of renal insufficiency, patients should eat a low-potassium diet in order to prevent the increased potassium level in the blood from rising further. Too much potassium can trigger cardiac arrhythmias.
Depending on the severity of the kidney weakness, a potassium intake of 1.5 to 2 grams per day is recommended. It is best to avoid foods and drinks rich in potassium. These include:
- Fruit and vegetable juices
- Dried fruit (raisins, dates, figs)
- nuts
- Bananas, apricots, avocado
- Legumes (peas, beans, lentils, etc.)
- Tomatoes, spinach, Swiss chard, broccoli, kale, Brussels sprouts, fennel, olives
- Sprouts and germs
- Mushrooms (fresh and dried)
- Dried potato products (potato chips, potato dumplings and mashed potatoes)
Chronic renal insufficiency: amount consumed
Even if many patients suspect the opposite: Drinking too much does not improve kidney function. Rather, too much fluid can actually accelerate the progression of chronic kidney failure. Discuss with your doctor or dietitian how much fluids you can drink each day.
Chronic renal failure: diet during dialysis
Limiting fluid intake is especially important in patients whose chronic kidney failure requires dialysis treatment. Maintaining the limited amount of fluid requires a lot of discipline. The daily drinking amount depends on the urine excretion within 24 hours. You should give your body as much fluid as you excrete - plus an additional half a liter per day. Remember, however, that you cover part of your fluid requirements with food. Not only soups, but almost all foods contain water (for example fruit, vegetables, yogurt, pudding, fish, meat).
Tips for quenching thirst:
- Chew gum without sugar
- Suck ice cubes
- Suck the lemon pieces
- Avoid salty and very sweet foods
- Rinse out mouth
People with kidney failure who are on dialysis should check their weight daily. If the weight gain exceeds the level recommended by your doctor, you should talk to your doctor immediately.
As mentioned above, a low-protein diet is not recommended if you are on dialysis if you have kidney failure. The reason: protein and protein building blocks are lost during the treatment, which must be compensated for by increasing the protein intake.
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