Kidney Diet Tips

How much fluid can a person with chronic kidney disease on hemodialysis drink?

water bottle Fluid intake for hemodialysis patients is limited between dialysis treatments since the kidneys lose the ability to make urine and remove excess fluid from the body. Excess fluid can increase blood pressure, causes the heart to work harder, and can cause shortness of breath.

For hemodialysis patients who no longer urinate due to complete kidney failure, liquids are usually limited to 32 ounces or 1000 ml each day. Some hemodialysis patients have a small amount of residual kidney function (residual renal function) so their kidneys are able to remove some fluid still. For them, the fluid restriction may be increased. How much liquid can dialysis patients with residual kidney function consume?

To find out, a 24-hour urine collection is measured. That volume is added to the initial 1000 ml (1 liter) fluid restriction. For example, if the 24-hour urine collection is 480 ml, which is the same as 16 ounces, the fluid restriction is increased from 32 ounces to 48 ounces or 1500 ml per day. Dialysis patients are advised to weigh themselves daily to help keep track of weight and fluid balance.

Sara Colman, RDN, CDCES

Sara Colman, RDN, CDCES

Sara is a renal dietitian with over 30 years experience working with people with diabetes and kidney disease. She is co-author of the popular kidney cookbook "Cooking for David: A Culinary Dialysis Cookbook". Sara is the Manager of Kidney Care Nutrition for DaVita. She analyzes recipes and creates content, resources and tools for the kidney community. In her spare time Sara loves to spend time with her young grandson, including fun times together in her kitchen.