Information about the protein needs of people with kidney failure is often conflicting. Advice seems contradictory as different sources recommend wildly different diets. Your nephrologist is in the best position to let you know how much protein you should eat. Such recommendations are based upon your laboratory results, your age and your kidney function.
Definitions
The term "kidney failure" understandably strikes terror. However, although most commonly used to describe patients with end-stage disease, this term is used to describe any degree of renal impairment ranging from mild renal insufficiency to end-stage disease. Advice about dietary protein intake varies so much because this population has such different needs.
Low-Protein Diets
Nephrologists often recommend low-protein diets for patients with high urine protein, or proteinuria. Since most people eat far more protein than they need, a low-protein diet simply means eating no more than 0.8g of protein per kg of body weight. This is the same amount of protein that the U.S. Department of Agriculture says that everyone needs. Applying this guideline means that a 130 pound woman on a low-protein diet should eat approximately 47g of protein.
Rationale
Nephrologists recommend low-protein diets as a way to minimize high urine protein. High urine protein slowly and persistently degrades kidney function and accelerates the downward progression of chronic kidney disease. Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors - more commonly called ACE inhibitors can be used to lower urine protein. Drugs such as prednisone, mycophenylate mofetil and others can be used if the proteinuria is very severe.
High-Protein Diets
Dietitians often urge patients on hemodialysis to eat more protein. Hemodialysis removes certain amino acids from the blood so eating more protein allow patients to compensate for this loss. Similarly, patients who were just transplanted have high protein needs because they are healing from their surgery.
