Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney disease, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. In 2005, almost 45 percent of people with impaired kidney function also had diabetes. A low-protein diet is recommended for diabetics with renal damage to help slow the progression of kidney disease. Work with your doctor or dietitian to develop a meal plan that provides adequate nutrition and helps to treat your diabetes and renal disease.
Diabetes and Kidney Damage
Chronic high blood sugar, or hyperglycemia, can damage the smaller blood vessels in your body. When these capillaries are weak, they can rupture, cutting off blood flow. Your kidneys, which filter waste from your body, depend on these small blood vessels. According to the American Diabetes Association, when the capillaries are damaged, both waste and useful substances, such as protein are eliminated in your urine. One of the first signs of kidney damage may be small amounts of protein in your urine, called microalbuminuria. If there are higher concentrations of protein, called macroalbuminuria, it means there is more extensive damage.
Protein Digestion and Kidney Function
It requires more energy to digest protein than fats or carbohydrates. Because protein digestion creates waste by-products, your kidneys have to work harder when you're eating a high protein diet. This extra work can strain your kidneys and quicken the progression of kidney disease. Although nutritional recommendations vary depending on the stage of your kidney disease, the University of Maryland Medical Center recommends that all diabetics limit protein consumption to between 12 and 20 percent of their total daily calories. Diabetics with renal disease should limit protein to about 10 percent of their total caloric intake.
Diabetic Low-Protein Diet
Your diabetes diet may need to change once you have kidney disease -- and not just by decreasing protein intake. High fiber whole grains and certain fruits and vegetables are high in potassium and phosphorus, which need to be limited on a renal diet. You may have to eat more refined grains and less whole grains, which can affect glucose levels. The quality and quantity of your food matters -- your limited protein intake should include HBV -- high biological value protein, which is easily assimilated into your tissue. Eggs, beef, fish and chicken are your best sources of HBV protein, says Columbia University Health Services.
Prevention
Early kidney disease has no symptoms, so it;s important to have regular check-ups with your doctor. Although diabetes is the number one cause of kidney failure, high blood pressure is the second leading cause. Keep tight control of your blood sugar and follow a low sodium diet to help prevent kidney disease. Some blood pressure medications, called ACE inhibitors, can slow the progression of kidney disease in diabetics, notes the National Kidney Foundation. Anti-inflammatory pain relieving medicines can inflame and damage your kidneys -- if you suffer from chronic pain, you may need to seek an alternative treatment.
