With kidney disease, you should avoid or limit NSAIDs (ibuprofen, naproxen), certain antibiotics, some diabetes drugs, high-potassium/phosphorus foods (dairy, oranges, processed meats), excessive salt, and contrast dyes used in some scans, as they can worsen kidney function; always consult your doctor before taking new medications or supplements.
Having long-standing high blood pressure, diabetes or an autoimmune disease such as lupus can cause damage to the kidneys. Regular checkups to monitor how well the kidneys are working may include blood tests and tests to check for protein in the urine.
Eat a kidney-friendly diet and exercise regularly.
A dietitian can help you plan meals that you like based on your preferences. Regular exercise and maintaining a healthy weight are also effective ways to help manage your disease progression. Talk to your doctor about incorporating exercise into your daily routine.
To improve kidney function, focus on lifestyle changes like staying hydrated, eating a balanced diet low in salt and processed foods, exercising regularly, quitting smoking, limiting alcohol, managing blood pressure and blood sugar, and avoiding kidney-harming medications like NSAIDs. Consulting your doctor for regular checkups and tailored advice, especially for protein intake, is crucial, as early intervention with healthy habits can slow disease progression.
Acute kidney failure can be caused by factors like severe dehydration, infections, or blockages. The good news is that with the right treatment, it's often possible to reverse kidney disease in these cases. Your kidneys can return to normal function after the underlying issue is resolved.
Here's a breakdown of the six most common supplements people with CKD may need to support kidney health.
There's no medicine that can cure CKD, but medicine can help control many of the problems that cause the condition, the complications that can happen as a result of it and keep the kidneys working for longer. You may need to take medicine to treat or prevent the different problems caused by CKD.
You can check kidney function at home using at-home test kits for urine (detecting protein/albumin) or finger-prick blood tests (checking creatinine/eGFR), often with smartphone apps for analysis, or by monitoring symptoms like increased nighttime urination (nocturia), swelling, or changes in urine (blood, foam) and discussing results with a doctor, as home tests screen but don't replace professional diagnosis.
Extreme, on-going tiredness, together with a lack of energy, is often called fatigue. There are lots of reasons why you may experience fatigue with CKD. If your kidneys are not working well, toxins (waste products) build up in your blood and this can make you feel tired and weak.
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Many people with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are able to live long lives without being unduly affected by the condition. Although it's not possible to repair damage that has already happened to your kidneys, CKD will not necessarily get worse. CKD only reaches an advanced stage in a small proportion of people.
Diabetes and high blood pressure are the top culprits damaging kidneys most, as they harm the delicate filtering blood vessels, leading to chronic kidney disease (CKD) and failure; other major factors include smoking, obesity, dehydration, poor diet (high sugar/salt/red meat), certain medications (NSAIDs), lack of sleep, and genetic conditions. These factors create a cycle where damaged kidneys worsen blood pressure, further damaging them.
Seek immediate medical attention if you experience any of the following symptoms when passing a kidney stone: Severe pain, vomiting, fever and/or chills. Visible blood in the urine. Difficulty urinating.
Establishing a Consistent Hydration Routine. Start your day with a glass of water and space your intake evenly. Contrary to popular belief, drinking water at night is bad for kidneys unless it leads to frequent nighttime urination that disrupts sleep.
Five key signs of kidney failure include persistent fatigue, swelling (especially in legs/ankles/feet), changes in urination (less frequent or foamy), nausea/vomiting/poor appetite, and itchy, dry skin, often resulting from waste buildup when kidneys can't filter properly. Other signs involve headaches, trouble sleeping, shortness of breath, and muscle cramps, as kidney failure affects fluid balance and toxin removal.
Caring for Your Kidney
Causes of CKD
CKD can be caused by: high blood pressure – over time, this can put strain on the small blood vessels in the kidneys and stop the kidneys working properly. diabetes – too much glucose in your blood can damage the tiny filters in the kidneys.
Stress and uncontrolled reactions to stress can also lead to kidney damage. As the blood filtering units of your body, your kidneys are prone to problems with blood circulation and blood vessels. High blood pressure and high blood sugar can place an additional strain or burden on your kidneys.
To strengthen your kidneys, focus on a healthy lifestyle: stay hydrated with water, eat a balanced diet low in salt and processed foods, exercise regularly, avoid smoking and excessive alcohol, manage blood pressure and sugar, limit over-the-counter pain relievers (like NSAIDs), and maintain a healthy weight to support overall kidney function.
People with CKD have greater requirements for some water soluble vitamins. Special renal vitamins are usually prescribed to provide extra water soluble vitamins needed. Renal vitamins contain vitamins B1, B2, B6, B12, folic acid, niacin, pantothenic acid, biotin and a small dose of vitamin C.
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with high cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Recent evidence suggests that increases in both serum and intracellular magnesium (Mg) can slow or even prevent the development of vascular calcification seen in CKD.