Why Does Kidney Failure Need A Low Protein Diet?

Not all kidney failures need a low-protein diet because not all kidney failures are alike. Kidney failure arising from chronic kidney disease requires adjustment in protein intake depending on the stage. The earlier stages of chronic kidney disease benefit from a low-protein diet whereas the more advanced stages that require dialysis and a kidney transplant need a high-protein diet.

Types of Kidney Failure

Acute kidney failure or acute renal failure is defined by the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearing House as sudden and temporary loss of kidney function. Causes of acute renal failure include severe dehydration, heart failure, obstruction of the urinary tract outflow, toxicity caused by drugs and certain medications such as antibiotics and pain relievers. Chronic kidney failure or chronic renal failure is a progressive loss of kidney function commonly caused by uncontrolled diabetes or hypertension. Other common causes include glomerulonephritis and cystic kidney disease according to the U.S. Renal Data System. Diet and medication can slow the progression of the disease.

Identification

Kidney damage arising from an existing chronic disease can be detected using blood and urine markers. A diagnosis of chronic kidney disease is given when the damage is present for more than three months and the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is less than 60ml/min/1.73 m2. GFR is a measure of a kidney's ability to filter fluid and substances from the blood. The need to identify patients with chronic kidney disease at its early stages is significant because diet and medication can slow or prevent its progression to end-stage renal disease. Those who are diabetics or have hypertension will benefit from routine laboratory tests that will detect markers of chronic kidney disease.

Toxic Byproducts

The toxic byproducts of protein metabolism are blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine. These are eliminated from the body by the kidneys through the urine. When kidney function slows down, these toxic waste products accumulate in the body and cause uremia, a condition that affects almost all organ systems. Common manifestations are nausea, vomiting, bone disorders, anemia, confusion, seizures, weakness, memory defects, high blood pressure, arrhythmias and edema. Increasing protein intake when the kidney cannot eliminate these toxins aggravates the uremic condition.

Prevention/Solution

Doctors will advise patients with chronic kidney disease to decrease their protein intake to prevent uremia. A dietitian needs to work closely with the patient in meal planning in order to assure adequate amount of protein intake.

Considerations

Animal protein such as beef, pork, chicken and fish are easier for the body to process. Limit intake of protein from dairy products because these are high in phosphorus, which is not desirable for patients with chronic kidney disease. To ensure adequate nutrition while cutting down on protein, calories should be increased from such rice, pasta, vegetables and healthy sources of fat, such as extra virgin olive oil, canola oil and corn oil according to the National Kidney Foundation.