CKD patients have greater requirements for some water-soluble vitamins. Special renal vitamins are usually prescribed to kidney patients to provide the extra water-soluble vitamins needed.

In July 2020, a Chinese study issued by Nephrology Times suggests that reduced progression of kidney disease and CKD by taking folic acid supplements. Blood pressure control is essential to slow down the progression of chronic kidney disease. 

Robert further breaks down how necessary folic acid is and why kidney disease patients should consider using it. 

So what is Folic Acid?

Folic acid is a type of B vitamin that is normally found in foods such as dried beans, peas, oranges, lentils, whole-wheat products, liver, asparagus, broccoli, beets, brussels sprouts and spinach. It helps your body produce and maintain new cells, and also helps prevent changes to DNA that may lead to cancer.

As a medication, folic acid is used to treat folic acid deficiency and certain types of anemia (lack of red blood cells) caused by folic acid deficiency. It is sometimes also used in combination with other medications to treat pernicious, aplastic, or normocytic anemia. Folic acid in kidney disease patients can be extremely helpful due to their high homocysteine levels.

The marker used in the study is called homocysteine testing which is a type of amino acid, a chemical your body uses to make proteins. Patients with kidney disease are required to keep their homocysteine levels in check at all times because a high homocysteine level may contribute to arterial damage and blood clots in your blood vessels. 

In addition, he distributes some tips on what folic acid supplements to take for kidney disease patients and how much. If you are someone with underlying chronic kidney disease, you’re likely to have high homocysteine levels and folic acid supplements can help keep them in control. 

Methylated folic acid is recommended over other folic acids as methyl has a high absorption rate and is said to work better than many other folic acid supplements. 

 A high dose is recommended for people dealing with kidney disease.