Anemia is a common problem for many people with chronic kidney disease. Adding more high iron foods into the diet is a great way to naturally address anemia without iron supplements. Combining high iron foods with high vitamin C foods increases absorption of the iron.
This handy resource shows many different high iron foods such as different types of meat, legumes, vegetables, and nuts. Also shows high vitamin C fruits and vegetables. For people with a potassium restriction it breaks down the produce into low and high potassium categories.
Lastly, this handout shows some delicious vit C + iron combos (example hot wheat farina – high iron + strawberries – high vitamin C) to maximize your iron intake.
You can download this handout by becoming a member of the Renal Education Library. You can also download the handout at RD2RD: Iron and Vitamin C Combo Foods.
Hello,
I would like to consult to a dietician regarding my son 30 yrs old who had unexpectedly a renal failure.
He is anemic and his phosphorous is still high.
Using the right diet, we need your help.
Hi Angel,
We would love to help you and your son. We will be contacting you directly, thank you for reaching out!
My wife has ESRD. We try to maintain a renal diet. Several times her Hemoglobin has gone low and we have to get another blood transfusion. I looked online and it says that she needed some more iron intake but I look at the iron foods and then a lot of them are not necessarily good for a renal diet? The doctors are not really mentioning why her hemoglobin keeps dropping and are not saying much to us about iron? Are there any suggestions of what we can do to maintain a renal diet and make sure she gets enough iron to help maintain her hemoglobin level? The doctors do not Appear to be addressing this situation and giving us any advice. We have been to two hospitals and seen many doctors?
Hi Scott,
This must be concerning for you both and we are sorry to hear that you are not getting the clarity you need about why this is happening.
Low hemoglobin is common in people with ESRD especially for people on hemodialysis. Medications such as Epogen or Procrit help stimulate the production of red blood cells. Your team should also be looking at other levels of Iron during routine blood tests to identify if she would benefit from IV Iron. While eating iron rich foods is important for people on dialysis, dietary iron intake and strategies of combining with Vitamin C rich foods are typically not enough and medications are often necessary to maintain hemoglobin at an acceptable level. The Dietitian at the dialysis clinic where your wife receives care would be a great resource to you both, or you can book a session with one of our Renal Dietitians.
I find it confusing. Abd disheartening not being able to find a diet for my CKD and Anemia.
DY
Hi David,
We know it can be confusing trying to balance CKD with other needs. Working with a Renal Dietitian can help! We offer one-on-one consultation to help clients discover individualized nutrition plans to help protect their kidneys and find ways to manage other concerns like anemia. If you are interested, you can book a complimentary discovery call to discuss your unique situation with a member of our team and learn more about working with us.
My husband was 35 years old..he suffered chronic kidney disease left kidney renal failure..now he has low in hemoglobin red blood cells.what are the foods we need to take for patient who hve chronic and anemia..let me know I need ur help
Hi Rajalakshmi,
Thank you for reaching out. We are sorry to hear that your husband is struggling with anemia. This post sheds some light on the why behind anemia in kidney disease and focuses on plant-based iron-rich foods and strategies to increase iron absorption. If you need additional help, we recommend contacting the Registered Dietitian at your dialysis clinic, or you can book a consultation with us to work one-on-one with a renal dietitian.