Recommended Folic Acid For Renal Patients

Getting enough folic acid is important for kidney patients in the overall health. Renal disease that requires kidney dialysis may increase your need for folic acid. Well, what is the recommended amount of folic acid for renal patients?

What does folic acid do for renal patients?

Anemia commonly occurs in people with kidney disease since the body has fewer red blood cells than normal. When blood has fewer red blood cells, it deprives the body of the oxygen it needs. Besides, another cause of anemia in people with kidney disease is low levels of folic acid found in food. A folic acid deficiency can cause weight loss, headaches, irritability, heart palpitations and diarrhea. Folic acid intake helps treat these conditions to some extent.

Recommended folic acid for renal patients

Most people with kidney disease require normal amounts of folic acid and individuals with renal failure often need more. Kidney dialysis can affect the amount of homocysteine in your body, resulting in the need for more folic acid. People on dialysis may require between 0.8 and 15mg of folic acid per day, while others need between 2.5 and 5mg three times per weeks. The specific amount of folic acid you require depends on your individual homocysteine levels.

Where can kidney disease patients get folic acid?

Foods that are naturally high in folate include leafy vegetables such as spinach, broccoli and lettuce, okra, asparagus, fruits such as bananas, melons and lemons, beans, yeast, mushrooms, meat such as beef liver and kidney, orange juice and tomato juice.

In summary, folic acid is important for kidney disease patients. But do not take large doses of folic acid without your doctor’s recommendation, especially if you have a serious illness. This is because too much folic acid can trigger symptoms of a B12 deficiency. Excessive amounts of folic acid may cause seizures in people who use anticonvulsant medications. You can consult with online doctor or leave a message to kidneycares@hotmail.com with your medical condition to get the proper dosage for your kidney disease.