Vitamins and minerals are important for the health of kidney patients. Vitamins and minerals may need to be supplemented in different amounts than that of a generally healthy person. Depending on the stage of kidney disease, the doctor will determine the amounts of vitamins and minerals required. Vitamins and minerals help the body to carry out different functions. They help the body digest food, make energy, and help repair itself. Most of the vitamins and minerals a kidney patient needs can be received through the diet. However, due to a limited diet in certain food groups, adequate amounts of vitamins may not be received and will need to be supplemented. In addition, a person on dialysis loses vitamins through the dialysis process that also need to be supplemented.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C helps heal wounds, prevent infections and keep tissues healthy. Since Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin, it is lost during dialysis and needs to be supplemented. Dialysis patients have grafts or catheters under the skin to allow access for the dialysis machine, vitamin C helps these areas not become infected and heal when they are first placed.
B Vitamins
Vitamins B6, B12, folic acid and iron help to prevent anemia. Other B vitamins, such as thiamine, riboflavin, pantothenic acid and niacin, help the body to produce energy from the food it digests. B vitamins are also water soluble and are lost in the dialysis process.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D keeps bones healthy by helping to balance calcium in the body. Vitamin D is needed in kidney patients since the body loses its ability to activate vitamin D. Not all kidney patients will need vitamin D at first. A doctor will prescribe the right time to start vitamin D supplementation.
Iron
Iron may also be needed as the kidneys lose their ability to produce the hormone erythropoietin, which produces red blood cells. In addition, the process of dialysis causes some blood to be lost in the machine and tubing, so extra iron is needed.
