How Much Water Should You Drink With Kidney Diseases?
Proper water for kidneys is vital for one’s overall wellness, especially kidney health. Your kidneys help filter waste, balance fluids, and regulate electrolytes, and everything depends on adequate water intake. Water is essential for sustaining life because it is an important part of the human body.
It helps remove impurities in the form of urine and balances the regular body functions. Water is the vital component of blood plasma, and it helps distribute the other components of food and nutrition to the other parts of the body. It has many good benefits for the skin and excretory system, and prevents the formation of kidney stones. Here is how much water you should drink with kidney disease.
What Is Healthy Hydration?
Healthy hydration is nothing but maintaining the right amount of fluids in your body, helping all organs in the body to work properly. Every single tissue, cell, and organ in the body is dependent on water to operate effectively. When the human body loses a greater quantity of water than it consumes, it leads to dehydration. If dehydration occurs, then it results in headaches, fatigue, reduced urine output, and dry skin.
For healthy adults, the advisable water intake is around two to three liters, which is 8 to 12 cups of water a day. This includes not only water but also other hydrating drinks. But water intake level might differ based on one’s age, climate, physical activity level, and underlying health conditions such as kidney disease.
For people who have kidney-related issues, proper hydration for kidney failure is especially important. Consuming excessive amounts of water or a smaller amount of water might strain your kidneys. It always depends on the stage of the kidney disease.
How Much Water Is Essential for Proper Kidney Function?
For people who have normal kidney function, sufficient water intake helps their kidneys prevent the accumulation of minerals and remove toxins that lead to the formation of stones in the kidneys. Water helps in keeping the urinary tract clean, reducing the chances of infections.
But for people with decreased kidney function and chronic kidney disease (CKD), their kidneys might not be able to remove the excessive fluid efficiently. In this case, you should maintain balanced CKD hydration. Also, remember that drinking excessive amounts of water can lead to fluid buildup around the heart and lungs, swelling in the legs, and increased blood pressure.
The quantity of water an individual should intake depends on various factors, such as
- Fluid retention and presence of swelling
- Stage of kidney disease
- Urine output
- Doctor’s suggestion
- Level of blood pressure
A healthcare provider will assess the urine output and guide you on the right amount of water intake. You can calculate your daily fluid intake level by combining urine output and 500 ml of water to compensate for the fluid that is lost through sweating and breathing. By following this, you can maintain your fluid balance without overloading your kidneys.
What Are The Causes Of Kidney Failure?
When the kidneys are not able to filter toxins and excessive fluids from the blood, then kidney failure happens. This could be resolved with proper kidney disease treatment in Coimbatore for faster diagnosis and treatment. Before that, it is important to understand what causes this condition:
1) High Blood Pressure: Excessive pressure might make the kidney stones weaken as time passes.
2) Diabetes: More content of sugar in the blood might impair the small blood vessels that are present inside the kidneys.
3) Toxins and Medications: Taking too much of certain medications and exposure to dangerous chemicals.
4) Glomerulonephritis: Inflammation in the glomeruli, which are the filtering units of the kidney.
5) Obstructions and Kidney Stones: Kidney stones can obstruct the flow of urine and impair the kidney tissues.
6) Chronic Infections: Persistent infections in the urinary tract can cause damage to the kidneys.
7) Genetic Conditions: Polycystic kidney disease can also cause kidney failure.
What Are The Symptoms Of Chronic Kidney Disease?
Chronic Kidney Disease, or CKD, often shows no signs at the early stage and shows noticeable signs at the advanced stages. Some of the most common symptoms are
- Swelling in the feet, ankles, and face.
- Weakness and fatigue.
- Dark-colored or foamy urine.
- Urinating frequently, especially at night.
- Nausea and loss of appetite.
- Difficulty breathing.
- Itching and muscle cramps.
- High blood pressure.
In case you experience the above symptoms, it is essential to get checked at the best kidney hospital in Coimbatore early. Regular urine and blood tests may help identify issues in the kidneys before they develop into something serious.
How Can Kidney Disease Be Treated?
With early detection and proper diagnosis, you can slow the progression of kidney diseases, prevent future complications, and even reverse them in certain cases. Some of the treatment strategies are:
1) Dietary Changes: Reduce potassium, salt, and phosphorus intake in your diet and maintain a sufficient quantity of protein.
2) Adequate Hydration: Follow your doctor’s suggestions on the amount of water to drink every day.
3) Lifestyle Changes: Exercise regularly, quit smoking, and maintain a healthy body weight.
4) Medications: To regulate blood pressure, control diabetes, and prevent protein leakage.
5) Kidney Transplant or Dialysis: In some advanced cases, whenever the function of the kidney reduces to 15%, dialysis and a kidney transplant become necessary.
Key Takeaways
Water is vital for the functioning of the kidneys. If you or someone you know has kidney disease, then it is important to follow professional advice on water intake to avoid kidney strain. A healthy diet, proper hydration, and regular checkups can help keep up with kidney function and support overall wellness.