Healthy eating is an important part of managing any form of kidney disease. Whether you have chronic kidney disease (CKD) or a rare condition like C3 glomerulopathy or immune complex membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (IC-MPGN), your kidneys may not be able to balance certain minerals and electrolytes, like potassium, the way they should.
If you’re living with kidney disease, it’s important to pay close attention to foods with these electrolytes, including potassium, to maintain their kidney health. Potassium is a mineral that helps carry electrical signals through your body. These signals help your heart beat and your muscles work properly. Potassium also works with sodium (salt) to help control the amount of fluid in your body.
This article explains why potassium content matters when living with kidney disease and offers tips on how to follow a diet with the right amount of potassium for your needs.
If you have kidney disease, it’s important to check the potassium content of the foods you eat. Foods high in potassium can affect how well treatments like dialysis work. Too much of these foods can also worsen kidney function.
Diet recommendations will be different for each person and may depend on factors like your stage of kidney disease and whether you have other health conditions. That’s why it’s important to talk to your healthcare provider before making any major diet changes.
Your doctor may refer you to a registered dietitian. A dietitian can help you learn about a healthy diet that limits high-potassium foods and promotes healthy kidneys.
The kidneys play several important roles in the body. They:
One key job of the kidneys is to maintain the right potassium levels by filtering out excess amounts. But when you have kidney disease, your kidneys may not be able to filter out the extra potassium. As kidney function gets worse, potassium can build up in your blood, sometimes without warning. Hyperkalemia (too much potassium in the blood) can cause tiredness or weakness. More seriously, it can affect the heart and muscles.
Hyperkalemia can happen for many reasons, including eating too many high-potassium foods, having high blood sugar, and experiencing constipation.
Missing a dialysis session can also result in high potassium levels in your blood.
Also, certain medicines can increase blood potassium levels. These include certain blood pressure medicines, potassium-sparing diuretics, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), or herbal supplements.
Some people with kidney disease may develop hypokalemia (low potassium levels). This is more common in the early stages of kidney disease but can happen in later stages as well. This can be caused by low magnesium levels, nausea, vomiting, and certain medicines, like diuretics (which increase potassium loss in urine.)
Symptoms can depend on how high your potassium levels are. Some people with mildly high levels may not have any symptoms at all. When symptoms do happen, they may include:
People with higher levels of potassium may experience more serious or even life-threatening symptoms, such as:
If you’re having symptoms of a heart attack — such as chest tightness, pain in your left arm, shortness of breath, or sweating — call 911 right away.
If your potassium levels are slightly low or moderately low, you may notice symptoms like fatigue, muscle weakness, or constipation. But in many cases, you may not feel any symptoms at all.
Very low potassium levels can also cause arrhythmia, which can make you feel faint. A severe potassium deficiency can be life-threatening. If you already have heart disease, it can even make your heart stop working.
Eating the right amount of potassium for your body — and following a kidney-friendly diet — can help prevent both high and low potassium levels.
You might be wondering how much potassium you need in your diet every day. One MyKidneyDiseaseTeam member asked, “Where can I find out how much potassium, phosphate, protein, and sodium I can have each day in stage 3b CKD?”
Another asked for guidance on supplement use: “What vitamins should I avoid? My nephrologist told me not to take them at all.”
These are important questions — and the best answers will come from your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian. They can help you understand how much potassium is right for you, based on your stage of kidney disease and any other health conditions.
If you’re on dialysis or your healthcare provider has recommended a lower potassium diet, your care team can help you find low-potassium foods you enjoy that also have lower amounts of potassium.
Speak with your healthcare provider for recommendation for low potassium foods and supplements. They’ll base their guidance on your own medical history and stage of kidney disease. Avoid making drastic changes to your diet or starting supplements without first speaking to your doctor or dietician.
Your potassium needs may change over time, so regular checkups with your healthcare provider are key to keeping your levels where they should be.
Some everyday foods are naturally high in potassium. If you’ve been told to limit your daily potassium, try to cut back on the following foods:
You don’t have to completely avoid high-potassium foods. But it’s important to eat them in moderation. A registered dietitian can help you figure out the right portion sizes for your favorite foods so you can enjoy them safely. They can also show you how to read food labels, which can help you spot ingredients that might affect your potassium levels.
The good news is that there are many delicious foods that are naturally low in potassium. These options can help you create balanced meals while keeping your potassium levels in a healthy range. Low-potassium foods have 150 milligrams or less of potassium per serving. These include:
Learning a few simple tricks to manage your potassium levels can go a long way in protecting your kidney health. Always let your healthcare team know if you have any new symptoms or if old ones get worse.
Here are some tips that may help:
MyKidneyDiseaseTeam is the social network for people with chronic kidney disease and their loved ones. On MyKidneyDiseaseTeam, members come together to ask questions, give advice, and share their stories with others who understand life with chronic kidney disease.
Do you have a type of kidney disease? How are you adjusting your diet to protect your kidneys? Share your experience in the comments below, or start a conversation by posting on your Activities page.
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