Two vitamin products that are potassium free are Nephro-Vite and Nephrocap. Not only are these vitamins free of potassium, but also contain ideal quantities of other vitamins and minerals for patients with kidney disease, and are prescribed by your doctor. It is best to be cautious in taking over the counter (OTC) vitamins. Although most OTC multivitamins have relatively small amounts of potassium (Centrum has 80 mg and One-A-day has 99 mg of potassium for example), there are other micronutrients present in these products that may be harmful to people with kidney disease.

Food and supplement labels can be confusing. On every vitamin product, the label will list the quantity of each vitamin or mineral and then give the percent daily value. The percent daily value is based on the daily reference intake (DRI) and daily reference values (DRV). The DRI and DRV are the estimated amount of a nutrient per day that is needed to maintain health. However, these guidelines were developed for the general population and are not intended for those with kidney disease. As a kidney patient, you should disregard the percent daily value for most nutrients because you may need more or less of certain nutrients than the average person.

Many fat-soluble vitamins, such as vitamin A, found in common multivitamin preparations can build up in the body of patients with kidney disease and become toxic. In addition, vitamins E and K can increase clotting time and interfere with blood thinning medications. Many multivitamins also contain phosphorus, which needs to be limited in kidney disease. It is best to only take vitamins your doctor has prescribed. The Nephro-Vite and Nephrocap contain vitamins needed by patients with chronic kidney disease (such as the B-complex vitamins) and none of those that may be potentially harmful. Always remember to discuss any nutritional supplement regimen with your doctor.

The Dear Doctor answer is provided by Frederick J. Kaskel, MD, PhD and Lauren Graf, RD, MS. Dr. Kaskel is a pediatric nephrologist, Chief of the Section of Pediatric Nephrology at the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore, Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Ms. Graf is a registered dietitian, having completed a Bachelors of Science Degree in dietetics from the University of Connecticut in 2003. She then went on to earn a Masters of Science in clinical nutrition from New York University. She works as a dietitian for the Department of Pediatric Nephrology at the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore.

Editor’s note: This article describes just two vitamins that are potassium free and healthy for kidney disease patients. Please talk to your health care team if you have questions about other vitamin products.

This article originally appeared in the May 2009 issue of Kidney Beginnings: The Magazine.

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