Many kidney patients are advised to follow low-protein diets. The National Kidney Foundation summarized the extensive research over the years on patients with chronic kidney disease and concluded that the evidence is so strong that a low protein diet can slow the downward progression of kidney disease, that they suggest that nephrologists recommend such a diet to their patients.
High Urine Protein
Kidney patients often have high urine protein. For reasons that are not clearly understood, the glomeruli, or kidney filters, of these patients become inflamed. Proteins that would not otherwise pass through the glomeruli, end up being spilled from the bloodstream into the urine. Independent from any other factor, this damages the glomeruli and accelerates the rate of disease progression.
Recommendation
Many patients mistakenly think that they can have no protein at all. However, the National Kidney Foundation recommends that patients get 0.8 g of protein per kilogram of body weight. This is identical to the recommendation of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. This is a low-protein diet only when compared to the amount of protein that most people consume every day.
Other Considerations
Some patients ask what types of protein they can consume safely. While protein is protein, you may want to consider what other nutrients are in the food. Many red meats are high-cholesterol foods. Given that heart disease is the leading cause of death among kidney patients, you should avoid high-cholesterol foods. Organ meats also contain large amounts of phosphorus. You may want to avoid such meats if your phosphorus levels are high, because this can cause permanent bone problems.
Warning
Low-protein diets are not for everyone, so double check with your nephrologist first. She may think that your urine protein levels do not merit changing your diet. Moreover, this diet is rarely recommended for children or for patients on dialysis. Since kidney patients often end up on highly restricted diets, there is no sense in limiting your dietary options prematurely.
