Protein is composed of amino acids and is essential for overall health, since it's required for immune system function, as well as the forming and maintenance of bodily tissues. In addition, protein is also necessary for the manufacture of certain enzymes and hormones. In recent years, increasing protein consumption has been touted as effective for weight loss and boosting exercise performance. The safety of high protein diets, especially pertaining to renal or kidney function, has been questioned, but no adverse effects have been found in people with normal kidneys.
Renal Disease
Researchers from the Washington University School of Medicine reviewed the clinical studies on the impact of high protein diets on renal function in patients suffering from renal disease. In the report, which was published in the May 2004 issue of the journal "Current Opinion in Nephrology and Hypertension," scientists concluded that high protein diets increase the progression of renal disease. Therefore, individuals already suffering from renal disease should not follow high protein diets.
Overweight Individuals
In research reported in the November 1999 issue of the "International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders," scientists from the Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University in Denmark explored the effects of high versus low protein diets on renal function in healthy overweight subjects. For six months, subjects consumed a high protein diet consisting of 25 percent protein or a low protein diet consisting of 12 percent diet. At the end of the study, the scientists found that the high protein group experienced no adverse effects on renal function.
Athletes
Scientists from Free University of Brussels in Belgium examined the impact of high protein diets on kidney function in athletes. At the end of the study, which was published in the March 2000 issue of the "International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism," researchers concluded that high protein diets did not impair renal function in trained athletes.
Healthy Individuals
In research published in the March 2003 issue of the journal "Annals of Internal Medicine," researchers from Harvard Medical School investigated the effects of long term protein intake on renal function in individuals with normal renal function. They discovered that high protein intake for 11 years was not associated with a decline in renal function in subjects with normal renal function.
References
- Current Opinion in Nephrology and Hypertension: New Insights Into Protein Intake and Progression of Renal Disease; K. Lentine and E.M. Wrone; May 2004
- International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders: Changes In Renal Function During Weight Loss Induced By High vs Low Protein Diets In Overweight Subjects; A.R. Skov et al.; November 1999
- International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism: Do Regular High Protein Diets Have Potential Health Risks on Kidney Function in Athletes?; J.R. Poortmans and O. Dellalieux; March 2000
- Annals of Internal Medicine: The Impact of Protein Intake on Renal Function Decline in Women with Normal Renal Function or Mild Renal Insufficiency; E.L. Knight et al.; March 2003
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