Nutritional requirements for health: their relevance to tissue function in renal failure

The requirements of healthy people for nutrients are constantly being monitored and updated. The most recent publication for the United States is the 9th ed. of the Recommended Dietary Allowances handbook. This article comments on changes that have been made and examines the relevance of such allowances for the long-term nutritional well-being of patients with renal disease. Different aspects of the allowances for energy, protein, vitamin C, calcium, iron, and trace elements are discussed to illustrate uses and limitations of dietary allowances and to emphasize the significance of this information for the better nutrition of the renal patient.