Stage 3 Chronic Kidney Disease(CKD) Diet

In Stage 3 CKD,GFR is approximately 30-60%: GFR 45-59 (3A) or 30-44 (3B). Rememember that GFR is an estimate and may require a correction for (black) race.Developing a healthy lifestyle may be able to help prevent some long-term complications of kidney disease like bone disease or heart problems and maintain the kidney function for as long as possible.

Stage 3 chronic kidney disease is defined as having moderate kidney damage that limits some of the filtering ability of the kidneys, but doesn't necessitate dialysis. Decreasing the level of waste by making diet modifications preserves the remaining function and staves off further damage.

Protein Restrictions

Protein serves to maintain muscle mass and support your immune system. Urea is a by-product of protein breakdown by the liver. Your kidneys take the urea and produce urine for excretion of waste products. Reducing your protein intake reduces the amount of urea produced and, thus, the workload of the kidneys. However, according to DaVita, a dialysis facility for kidney failure, for stage 3, a dietitian will usually recommend eating a healthy diet with protein at the level of 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, the same level recommended for all healthy people. One kilogram of body weight is equivalent to 2.2 lb.

Phosphorus and Calcium

Phosphorus is a mineral that works with calcium to support bone health. As your kidney function worsens, phosphorus can build up in the blood causing itchy skin and your bones to lose calcium. This stage of the diet restricts the amount of phosphorus in your diet by limiting beans, legumes, beer and dark colored carbonated beverages. Phosphorus binders can be used to remove excess phosphorus from your ingested food. These binders are usually concentrated calcium supplements because phosphorus and calcium compete for absorption in your intestines. Providing high amounts of calcium with your meals decreases the amount of phosphorus your body absorbs, thereby preventing kidney associated bone disease.

Fat-Soluble Vitamins

Fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K may have to be taken in water-soluble form, according to DaVita. Switching to water-soluble forms prevents buildup of these fat-soluble vitamins. Increasing the availability of vitamin D in water-soluble form is helpful as your kidneys may not be able to convert UV light into the active form of vitamin D.

Fluid Restrictions

Fluid isn't restricted on the stage 3 diet for chronic kidney disease. Your kidneys are still filtering your blood with some limitations. Stage 3 chronic kidney disease doesn't warrant a change in how much fluid and water you drink per day. If the filtration rate of your kidneys decreases, your physician may restrict how much fluid you can have per day to delay dialysis.



Is Kidney Failure in Your Chronic Kidney Disease(CKD) Future? Make An Estimation of Your Current CKD:http://www.kidneyabc.com/CKDQuestionnaire.html

CKD and Low-Potassium

Chronic kidney disease is a serious condition that occurs when your kidneys cannot filter the way they are supposed to. There are many situations that can cause kidney disease and there are various stages of this condition. Making dietary changes such as watching your potassium intake is an important step in managing CKD. Given the serious nature of CKD, check with your doctor on how much potassium you need.
Potassium and the Kidneys
Along with regulating fluid balance and removing wastes, your kidneys also regulate the amount of potassium circulating in the blood by removing excess. If the kidneys lose their ability to filter properly, potassium levels may get too high and in the later stages of kidney disease, high potassium levels can cause complications, notes the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse. Hyperkalemia or too much potassium in the blood can lead to irregular heart rhythms, nausea, muscle weakness, numbness and tingling in various areas of your body and in severe cases it can contribute to a heart attack.
Low-Potassium Diet
Many foods contain potassium, so you will need to work closely with your doctor or registered dietitian to find the right plan. Avoid high-potassium foods such as apricots, dates, melons, oranges, artichokes, beets, potatoes and spinach, suggests the University of Michigan. Soy milk, yogurt, dried peas, beans and bran are also high in potassium. Instead, choose apples, berries, cranberries, grapes, cauliflower, corn, eggplant, lettuce and mushrooms. You can also leach foods to help remove some of the potassium from them. Because each person is different, it may take some trial and error to find the right diet to keep your potassium levels in check.

Is Kidney Failure in Your Chronic Kidney Disease(CKD) Future?

Make An Estimation of Your Current CKD. This health checker estimates the risk to develop Kidney Failure and provide some guidance for CKD patients:http://www.kidneyabc.com/CKDQuestionnaire.html

Chronic Kidney Disease and Stages

About Chronic Kidney Disease

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a disease whereby the kidneys have trouble removing waste products and fluid from the body. Usual causes of CKD include Diabetes Mellitus, high blood pressure and chronic glomerulonephritis. People with CKD often have no symptoms although the kidney function is severely affected.


CKD stages


The stages of CKD (Chronic Kidney Disease) are mainly based on measured or estimated GFR (Glomerular Filtration Rate). There are five stages but kidney function is normal in Stage 1, and minimally reduced in Stage 2.

The table below shows CKD and GFR for each stage:

Stage GFR* Description 1 With normal or high GFR 90+ Normal kidney function but tests show early signs of kidney damage 2 Mild CKD 60-89 Mildly reduced kidney function, test results point to some signs of kidney damage 3 Moderate CKD 30-59 Moderately reduced kidney function 4 Severe CKD 15-29 Severely reduced kidney function 5 End-stage CKD <15 or on dialysis Established kidney failure, kidney dialysis or transplant may be needed

Chronic Kidney Disease And Anemia

Usually anemia begins in the early stages of chronic kidney disease and gets worse as kidney function, also known as renal function, decreases. Anemia, when untreated, can be the cause of a poor quality of life. In some cases, people with severe anemia don’t have the energy to even get out of bed. In addition, anemia may cause heart disease, increased hospitalizations, even death. To help people with chronic kidney disease and anemia have more energy to live a better life, anemia management is part of their kidney disease treatment.


Symptoms of anemia

Most people with anemia will have one or more of the following symptoms:

• Feeling weak
• Feeling tired or fatigued
• Shortness of breath
• Dizziness
• Rapid heartbeat
• Pale skin and gums
• Inability to think clearly

If someone with these symptoms talks to his or her doctor, the doctor will perform tests to determine the level and cause of anemia.


Anemia management is an important part of improving the quality of life and health of chronic kidney disease and dialysis patients. Treating anemia in people with kidney disease helps prevent fatigue and other symptoms, improves heart health and decreases hospitalizations. Talk to your doctor or members of your health care team to learn more about anemia management.



Make An Estimation of Your Current CKD. This health checker estimates the risk to develop Kidney Failure and provide some guidance for CKD patients : http://www.kidneyabc.com/CKDQuestionnaire.html

Chronic Kidney Disease Causes Symptoms and Stages

What causes CKD?

The two main causes of chronic kidney disease are diabetes and high blood pressure, which are responsible for up to two-thirds of the cases. Diabetes happens when your blood sugar is too high, causing damage to many organs in your body, including the kidneys and heart, as well as blood vessels, nerves and eyes. High blood pressure, or hypertension, occurs when the pressure of your blood against the walls of your blood vessels increases. If uncontrolled, or poorly controlled, high blood pressure can be a leading cause of heart attacks, strokes and chronic kidney disease. Also, chronic kidney disease can cause high blood pressure.

Other conditions that affect the kidneys are:

Glomerulonephritis, a group of diseases that cause inflammation and damage to the kidney's filtering units. These disorders are the third most common type of kidney disease.

Inherited diseases, such as polycystic kidney disease, which causes large cysts to form in the kidneys and damage the surrounding tissue.

Malformations that occur as a baby develops in its mother's womb. For example, a narrowing may occur that prevents normal outflow of urine and causes urine to flow back up to the kidney. This causes infections and may damage the kidneys.
Lupus and other diseases that affect the body's immune system.

Obstructions caused by problems like kidney stones, tumors or an enlarged prostate gland in men.

Repeated urinary infections.

What are the symptoms of CKD?

Most people may not have any severe symptoms until their kidney disease is advanced. However, you may notice that you:

• feel more tired and have less energy
• have trouble concentrating
• have a poor appetite
• have trouble sleeping
• have muscle cramping at night
• have swollen feet and ankles
• have puffiness around your eyes, especially in the morning
• have dry, itchy skin
• need to urinate more often, especially at night.

Anyone can get chronic kidney disease at any age. However, some people are more likely than others to develop kidney disease. You may have an increased risk for kidney disease if you:

• have diabetes
• have high blood pressure
• have a family history of chronic kidney disease
• are older
• belong to a population group that has a high rate of diabetes or high blood pressure, such as African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian, Pacific Islanders, and American Indians.

Five stages of chronic kidney disease


Below shows the five stages of CKD and GFR for each stage:

• Stage 1 with normal or high GFR (GFR > 90 ml/min)
• Stage 2 Mild CKD (GFR = 60-89 ml/min)
• Stage 3 Moderate CKD (GFR = 30-59 ml/min)
• Stage 4 Severe CKD (GFR = 15-29 ml/min)
• Stage 5 End Stage CKD (GFR <15 ml/min)

Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis (FSGS)

Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) is a disease that affects the kidney’s filtering system (glomeruli) causing scarring and loss of large amounts of protein in the urine. FSGS is a common cause of nephrotic syndrome.

What causes FSGS?

There is no single cause of FSGS. When the cause is not known it is called idiopathic or primary FSGS. In some patients FSGS may be the result of a genetic or inherited disease, an infection such as parvovirus or HIV/AIDS, or other kidney diseases that lead to scarring.

What are the symptoms?

Many people with FSGS have no symptoms at all. The most common complaint is edema, or swelling, especially in the legs. Often patients find that their shoes no longer fit, or that they have suddenly put on weight. High blood pressure, or hypertension, is also a very common finding. The hypertension in people with FSGS can often be very difficult to treat.

FSGS can also cause abnormal results in two different routine laboratory tests ordered by your doctor. The first is a test of kidney function called “creatinine." It is measured by taking a blood sample. Everyone has a certain amount of a substance called creatinine floating in his or her blood. This substance is always being produced by healthy muscles, but since the kidneys constantly filter it out the level of creatinine stays low. When the filters become damaged, the level of creatinine left in the blood goes up. A higher level of creatinine alerts the doctor that the kidneys aren’t filtering as well as they should.

The second test is for protein in your urine. Urine normally contains only a very small amount of protein. It is just too big to pass through the filters. But when the filters become scarred or damaged, they can “leak” protein into the urine. If a doctor finds too much protein in your urine, it usually means something is wrong with the filters. Some people with a large amount of protein in their urine say that their urine looks “foamy”, like bubbles built up in dishwater.

None of the above symptoms, or even all of them together, is specific for FSGS. If you or your doctor are concerned about FSGS, the only way to know for sure is to have a kidney biopsy.

How is FSGS diagnosed?

With information obtained from blood tests, urine tests and a kidney biopsy, a physician can determine if a person has FSGS.

Autosomal dominant PKD (inherited)

Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is a genetic disorder characterized by the growth of numerous cysts filled with fluid in the kidneys. These cysts can reduce the kidney's ability to function, leading to kidney failure.

There are three major types of PKD:

• autosomal dominant PKD (inherited)
• autosomal recessive PKD (inherited)
• acquired cystic kidney disease, or ACKD (non-inherited)

Autosomal dominant PKD (inherited)

This is the most common inherited form of polycystic kidney disease, accounting for about 90 percent of all PKD cases.

"Autosomal dominant" means that if one parent has the disease, there is a 50 percent change that the disease will pass to your child, and that both girls and boys are equally affected.

In 25 percent of cases, there is no family history of PKD. You would not be at increased risk of having additional children with PKD, but your child with PKD would have a 50/50 chance to pass the gene on to her children.

Autosomal dominant PKD is often called the adult polycystic kidney disease.

What are the symptoms of autosomal dominant PKD?

• Symptoms usually develop between the ages of 30 and 40 (but they can begin as early as childhood), and may include:
• abdominal pain
• detectable abdominal mass
• pale color to skin
• bruise easily
• high blood pressure
• kidney stones
• aneurysms (bulging of the walls of blood vessels) in the brain
• diverticulosis (pouches in the intestines)
• urinary tract infections
• hematuria (blood in the urine)
• liver and pancreatic cysts
• abnormal heart valves

Autosomal dominant PKD may occur with other conditions including:

• Tuberous sclerosis - a genetic syndrome involving seizures, intellectual disabilities, benign tumors, and skin lesions
• Liver disease
• Severe eye problems (cataracts or blindness)