Fluid and Kidney Health: The Practical To-Do List
Fluid and Kidney Health: what is worth doing, what is worth avoiding, and when to stop and see a doctor.
How much to drink for kidney health, and when more is not better. Adequate fluid prevents stones and infection, while people with advanced kidney disease or heart failure may be told to restrict it.
Key takeaways
- General UK guidance: 6-8 drinks a day
- For stone prevention: 2.5-3 litres a day
- Most useful single change: Use urine colour as a daily guide.
- Commonest mistake: Forcing very large volumes well beyond thirst.
- See a doctor if any of the signs under "When to speak to a doctor" below apply to you.
Do
- Use urine colour as a daily guide
- Drink more in hot weather, during exercise and during illness
- Follow any individual fluid target your kidney team has set
- Spread intake across the day rather than in large volumes at once
Do not
- Forcing very large volumes well beyond thirst
- Ignoring a prescribed fluid restriction
- Relying on thirst alone if you are over 65
The numbers behind the list
Here are the figures the checklist is drawn from.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| General UK guidance | 6-8 drinks a day |
| For stone prevention | 2.5-3 litres a day |
| Practical check | pale straw-coloured urine |
| Fluid restriction | prescribed in some advanced kidney disease and heart failure |
If you change one thing
Use urine colour as a daily guide. If you only change one thing, make it that.
Where to go next
- A Q and A on Fluid and Kidney Health
- Fluid and Kidney Health in Five Minutes
- Fluid and Kidney Health — the reference entry
- What the Guidance Really Says About Diabetes and the Kidneys
- What the Guidance Really Says About Understanding eGFR
When to speak to a doctor
Follow your own clinical team's fluid advice over general guidance if you have advanced kidney disease or heart failure. Seek urgent help for passing very little urine, swelling with breathlessness, or confusion. Excessive plain water during endurance events can dangerously dilute blood sodium.
Where this comes from
How this page was put together
Every figure, recommendation and warning above is taken from the guidance named in Where this comes from. Nothing on this page is inferred, summarised or generalised beyond what those bodies publish: where they give a number, it is their number, and where they are silent, so are we. Pages are rebuilt whenever the underlying record changes. Sign-off by a named clinician, where it has happened, is shown at the top of the page along with the date.
Medical disclaimer
This article is general information, not medical advice. It cannot account for your own history, medication or circumstances. Always speak to a GP, pharmacist or another qualified health professional before making changes that affect your treatment, and never delay seeking medical advice because of something you have read here. In an emergency, call 999.
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