subject: Chronic Kidney Failure and Kidney Failure Diets [print this page] Chronic Kidney Failure and Kidney Failure Diets
Chronic kidney failure diets have been popular nowadays due to the increasing number of chronic renal failure cases. This diet is made especially for people suffering from kidney failure to help them reduce the progression of kidney disease.
The result of continuous and permanent loss of kidney function is called chronic renal failure. Its development takes months or years, depending on the extent of damage to the kidneys. The many causes of renal failure include obstructive kidney diseases like kidney birth defects and kidney stones, glumerolunephritis, diabetes mellitus, nephrosclerosis, and systemic lupus erythematosus. Illegal drugs and excessive use of analgesics can also cause chronic renal failure.
But whatever the cause is, the result is still the same, and these include fluid imbalance, retention of nitrogenous wastes, electrolyte deficiencies, and many more which can affect several body systems at a time. It is important to prevent the development of any kidney disease before it leads to chronic renal failure and to ESRD or end-stage renal disease. ESRD is the final stage of kidney disease that is most feared by many Americans.
There are different kinds of kidney failure diets, and each diet depends on several factors such as the nutritional and medical status of the patient, the treatment method used and the kinds of food the patient can take.
It is important to note that when renal function deteriorates, dietary help is needed in order to make careful regulation of the patient's intake of protein, fluid and sodium to balance with its losses. There is also some restriction of potassium while ensuring enough vitamin supplementation and caloric intake.
For this diet, the allowed protein intake must be of high biologic value, which can be found in most dairy products, meats and eggs. Protein's high biologic value is contained in foods that can supply the essential amino acids needed for cell growth and repair, as well as food that are complete proteins. Most kidney failure diets can help you classify foods of high biologic value.
Fluid intake for renal failure patients must be around 500mL more than the previous day's urine output, while the calories for kidney failure diets are supplied by fat and carbohydrates to avoid putting it to waste. Because these diets are protein-restricted and cannot give the required set of vitamins, a patient must have vitamin supplementation as those patients already on dialysis may lose water-soluble vitamins in the blood during treatment.
