This paper starts a series on red blood cell (RBC) metabolism in patients with chronic renal failure (CRF). The glycolytic enzyme levels and in vitro half-lives of these patients’ RBCs were determined. A number of enzymes (hexokinase, glucose-6-phosphate isomerase, fructose-6-phosphate kinase, aldolase, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase and lactate dehydrogenase) showed higher activities than in normal control RBCs. Other enzyme activities were normal. These results were discussed and several possible mechanisms considered. We favour the point of view of a shortened life span of the RBCs in CRF, making the most unstable enzymes of the glycolytic sequence appear increased as compared with normal controls.