Dialysis & Transplant 7 min read·Updated 16 July 2026 Clinician-reviewed

Vitamins & Dialysis — What's Generally Used in UK Practice

A clinician-led educational overview of the vitamins commonly discussed in the context of haemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. People on dialysis need individualised advice from their renal team. Kidney Vitality is mentioned as one UK-manufactured example of a daily multivitamin built around renal nutrition principles; it is not intended for dialysis cohorts and is not a treatment for kidney disease.

  • Clinically Reviewed
  • NHS & NICE Aligned
  • UK Evidence-Based
  • Last Reviewed 16 July 2026

Professor Mohammed Mahdi Althaf

Consultant Nephrologist & Acute Physician

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Professor Mohammed Mahdi Althaf

MD, MSc, PgDip (Clin Ed), FRCP, FHEA, FASN

Consultant Nephrologist & Acute Physician · GMC 7216325

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Direct answer

Dialysis removes water-soluble B-vitamins and some vitamin C from the bloodstream, so daily replacement is standard renal practice. Vitamin A is avoided. If you already use Renavit or Dialyvit on prescription, stay with that. Kidney Vitality is a non-prescription, evidence-based daily option for adults not on a prescribed product — always confirm with your renal team.

Key recommendation: Dialysis depletes water-soluble B-vitamins — daily replacement is standard.

Quick answer

✓ Best choices

  • Higher-quality protein at every meal: eggs, fish, chicken, lean meat
  • Lower-phosphate, lower-potassium snacks between meals
  • Phosphate binders taken with food exactly as prescribed
  • A vitamin approach in line with renal nutrition principles (water-soluble B and C are commonly recommended; high-dose vitamin A is avoided)

✓ Foods to limit

  • High-phosphate foods: hard cheese, processed meats, cola, phosphate additives
  • Very high-potassium foods: bananas, oranges, tomatoes, potatoes (unless leached), avocado, chocolate
  • Fluid above your daily allowance — including soup, ice and high-water fruit

Key takeaway

Dialysis removes water-soluble B-vitamins and some vitamin C from the bloodstream, so daily replacement is standard renal practice. Vitamin A is avoided. If you already use Renavit or Dialyvit on prescription, stay with that. Kidney Vitality is a non-prescription, evidence-based daily option for adults not on a prescribed product — always confirm with your renal team.

Who should be cautious

People on dialysis, post-transplant, pregnant or breastfeeding, or taking prescription medication — confirm with your renal team before changes.

Vitamins & Dialysis — What's Generally Used in UK Practice

Why this matters in chronic kidney disease

In chronic kidney disease (CKD), the kidneys gradually lose their ability to filter waste, balance electrolytes and clear excess nutrients. That means substances which are completely safe at typical doses in a healthy adult — including some vitamins and minerals — can build up or place added strain on the kidneys as function declines.

That's why UK renal nutrition guidance from NICE (NG203), KDOQI 2020 and the British Dietetic Association Renal Nutrition Group all take a cautious, individualised view of supplementation in CKD. The aim is to support overall nutrition without adding to the kidneys' workload.

Putting this into practice

If you're choosing a daily supplement and you have reduced kidney function, the most practical checks are simple: read the label, look at the doses, and look for what isn't added. Renal teams typically flag high-dose vitamin A (retinol), large doses of vitamin C, and any added potassium, phosphate or magnesium — these are the four ingredients most often singled out in routine dietetic reviews.

A evidence-based daily supplement keeps doses moderate, names the things it deliberately leaves out, and is formulated with renal nutrition in mind from the start — not adapted after the fact.

What to discuss with your renal team

Before starting any new vitamin or supplement, share the full label with your GP, renal pharmacist, dietitian or nephrologist. They will already know your blood results, prescribed phosphate binders, vitamin D regime and any active medication interactions — and can confirm whether a evidence-based daily supplement is appropriate alongside your current plan.

If you are on dialysis, are pregnant, are breastfeeding, or have had a kidney transplant, this conversation matters even more. The guidance on this page is general education, not a substitute for personalised clinical advice.

Vitamins Safe in CKD
Related reading: Vitamins Safe in CKD.

Key practical tips

Designed for quick scanning — what to order, what to avoid, sensible portions, common mistakes.

  • Weigh between sessions to track fluid balance
  • Use the leaching (double-boil) method for potatoes and root veg
  • Plan a kidney-friendly snack to take to your session — protein helps

Clinical guidance

TL;DR summary

Dialysis removes water-soluble B-vitamins and some vitamin C from the bloodstream, so daily replacement is standard renal practice. Vitamin A is avoided. If you already use Renavit or Dialyvit on prescription, stay with that. Kidney Vitality is a non-prescription, evidence-based daily option for adults not on a prescribed product — always confirm with your renal team.

Key takeaways
  • Dialysis depletes water-soluble B-vitamins — daily replacement is standard.
  • Vitamin A (retinol) is not removed by dialysis and is avoided.
  • Vitamin C is kept moderate (≈ 75 mg/day) to limit oxalate.
  • Prescribed renal multis (Renavit, Dialyvit) take precedence — don't double-up.
  • Kidney Vitality is non-prescription and follows the same evidence-based principles.
Kidney Diet & Nutrition Considerations on Dialysis

Dialysis nutrition is different from earlier-stage CKD. Protein needs go up (around 1.0–1.2 g/kg/day on haemodialysis) because dialysis removes amino acids. Potassium, phosphate and fluid restrictions tighten, and water-soluble B-vitamins are partly lost in the dialysate. Your renal dietitian sets your personal targets — these are the typical themes.

Foods to prioritise

  • Higher-quality protein at every meal: eggs, fish, chicken, lean meat
  • Lower-phosphate, lower-potassium snacks between meals
  • Phosphate binders taken with food exactly as prescribed
  • A vitamin approach in line with renal nutrition principles (water-soluble B and C are commonly recommended; high-dose vitamin A is avoided)

Foods to limit

  • High-phosphate foods: hard cheese, processed meats, cola, phosphate additives
  • Very high-potassium foods: bananas, oranges, tomatoes, potatoes (unless leached), avocado, chocolate
  • Fluid above your daily allowance — including soup, ice and high-water fruit

Potassium, phosphate and protein needs vary between individuals — please confirm personal targets with your renal team or dietitian. Browse the Kidney Diet Hub for more guides in this cluster.

Frequently asked questions

Which vitamins are typically used during dialysis?

Renal teams commonly support water-soluble B-complex vitamins (B1, B2, B6, B12, folate) and vitamin C in moderate doses for dialysis patients, because these can be lost in the dialysis fluid. Vitamin D is often supplemented separately when levels are low. KDOQI 2020 Nutrition in CKD supports this approach.

Should I take Kidney Vitality if I'm on dialysis?

If your renal team has prescribed a specific renal multivitamin such as Renavit or Dialyvit, continue with that. Kidney Vitality is a non-prescription, evidence-based daily option for adults not on a prescribed product — always confirm with your renal team before starting.

Why are B-vitamins lost on dialysis?

B-vitamins are water-soluble and small, so they pass into the dialysate during haemodialysis and (to a lesser extent) peritoneal dialysis. Replacement is standard practice and is one reason renal multivitamins exist.

Is vitamin A safe for dialysis patients?

No. Vitamin A (retinol) is not removed by dialysis and can accumulate to toxic levels. Renal teams advise against any multivitamin containing added retinol. Kidney Vitality contains no added vitamin A.

What about vitamin C on dialysis?

Moderate supplemental vitamin C (≈ 75 mg/day) is generally accepted; higher doses are usually avoided because vitamin C is metabolised to oxalate. Kidney Vitality stays within this range.

Will it interact with my dialysis medication?

There are no known major interactions, but please confirm with your renal team — particularly if you take phosphate binders, ESAs, vitamin D analogues (alfacalcidol, paricalcitol) or iron therapy.

How much protein should I eat on dialysis?

Most adults on haemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis need around 1.0–1.2 g of protein per kilogram of body weight per day — higher than earlier CKD, because dialysis removes amino acids. Your renal dietitian sets your exact target based on your weight, albumin and bloods.

Nutritional challenges in kidney disease

Many people living with kidney disease have to limit foods because of potassium, phosphate, diabetes, dialysis, appetite changes or simply the time it takes to cook from scratch every day. That can make it harder to keep daily nutrition balanced — particularly for vitamins and minerals that food alone may not fully cover.

Kidney Vitality is a UK-formulated daily nutritional support product designed by Consultant Nephrologist Professor Mohammed Mahdi Althaf with renal nutrition in mind from the start. It keeps doses moderate, leaves out added potassium, phosphate and magnesium, and avoids megadose vitamin A — sitting alongside a kidney-friendly diet, not replacing it.

Why Kidney Vitality fits this need

Aligned with renal nutrition practice

Built around KDOQI 2020 Nutrition in CKD and British Dietetic Association renal resources.

No vitamin A as retinol

Removes one of the most common safety concerns for dialysis patients.

Evidence-based daily B-complex

Sensible everyday doses of B1, B2, B6, B12 and folate.

Designed by a UK Consultant Nephrologist

Ready to support your kidney health?

If you have been researching kidney health, supplements, CKD nutrition or kidney-friendly living, Kidney Vitality was developed specifically around those principles by Professor Mohammed Mahdi Althaf (GMC 7216325). Developed using renal nutrition principles.

  • Designed Using Renal Nutrition Principles
  • No Added Potassium
  • No Added Phosphorus
  • Developed by a Consultant Nephrologist
  • One capsule daily
  • UK GMP — BRCGS, NSF GMP, Halal
Subscribe & Save — £20.39/monthCheck your current multivitamin

✓ Free UK tracked delivery  ·  ✓ Delivered every 30 days  ·  ✓ Pause or cancel anytime  ·  ✓ Never run out

ComparisonKidney VitalityTypical high-street multivitamin
Added potassiumNoneOften included
Added phosphateNoneOften included (E338–E452)
Vitamin A (retinol)No megadoseOften high-dose retinol
Kidney-focused formulationYesNo — general population
Consultant Nephrologist involvementYes (GMC 7216325)No
UK GMP manufacturedYes (BRCGS, NSF GMP)Varies

Food supplement. Not a medicine and not a treatment for kidney disease. Speak with your GP, pharmacist or renal team before starting any new supplement, especially in advanced CKD, on dialysis, post-transplant, pregnant or breastfeeding.

Clinical reviewer

Professor Mohammed Mahdi Althaf

Consultant Nephrologist

Acute Physician

GMC 7216325

View Full Biography

Professor Mohammed Mahdi Althaf is a UK Consultant Nephrologist and Acute Physician with a special interest in chronic kidney disease, AKI prevention and renal nutrition. He combines hospital practice with patient education and clinical guidance review.

View professional profile →
View Credentials
  • MD
  • MSc
  • PgDip (Clin Ed)
  • FRCP
  • FHEA
  • FASN

About this article

Written for UK patients and based on:

  • NICE guidance
  • NHS resources
  • British Dietetic Association guidance
  • Kidney Care UK resources
View methodology

Each article is researched against current UK clinical guidance (NICE NG203, NG118, NG136), NHS patient resources, KDIGO and KDOQI international guidelines, and the British Dietetic Association Renal Nutrition Group. Drafts are written by the Kidney Vitality editorial team and reviewed by a UK Consultant Nephrologist before publication. Content is reviewed on a rolling basis and updated when guidance changes.

Editorial standards

  • Clinically reviewed
  • NHS-aligned
  • NICE-aligned
  • Evidence-based
  • Reviewed before publication
View full editorial process

Every article is researched and written by the Kidney Vitality editorial team using current UK clinical guidance (NICE NG203, NG118, NG136), NHS patient resources, KDIGO/KDOQI international guidelines, and British Dietetic Association renal nutrition guidance. Drafts are reviewed for clinical accuracy by Professor Mohammed Mahdi Althaf, MD, MSc, PgDip (Clin Ed), FRCP, FHEA, FASN (Consultant Nephrologist & Acute Physician, GMC 7216325) before publication. Content is updated when UK guidance changes.

References (4)View Sources
  1. NICE NG203: Chronic kidney disease — assessment and management
  2. KDIGO 2024 Clinical Practice Guideline for the Evaluation and Management of CKD
  3. KDOQI Clinical Practice Guideline for Nutrition in CKD: 2020 Update
  4. British Dietetic Association — Renal Nutrition Group

Medical disclaimer

This content is educational only and does not replace personalised medical advice.

Read full disclaimer

This page is general information, not personal medical advice. If you have chronic kidney disease, are on dialysis, have had a kidney transplant, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or take prescription medication, please confirm any supplement with your GP, pharmacist or renal team before starting.

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