Association between dietary protein intake and risk of chronic kidney disease
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I have increased my protein intake and I have a low level concern that I may be stressing my kidneys.
Conclusion: The data showed a lower CKD risk significantly associated higher-level dietary total, plant or animal protein (especially for fish and seafood) intake. Further prospective studies demonstrating the correlations of precise sources, intake and duration of dietary protein and incident CKD are warranted.
Merry Christmas 🎄 and a happy New Year.
“All things are poison and nothing is without poison; only the dose makes a thing not a poison.” - Paracelsus (c. 1493–1541)
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higher veg intake balances the acidic load of proteins
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@the_black_jew -thanks, this a timely reminder.
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Additional support for higher protein diets.
Conclusions: A desirable macronutrient composition, including high relative protein intake and low relative fat intake, may causally reduce the risk of CKD in the general population.
Conclusions: Postintervention GFR comparisons indicate that HP diets result in higher GFRs; however, when changes in GFR were compared, dietary protein had no effect. Our analysis indicates that HP intakes do not adversely influence kidney function on GFR in healthy adults.
A systematic review was used to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational epidemiologic studies (OBSs) that examined protein intake consistent with either the US RDA (0.8 g/kg or 10–15% of energy) or a higher protein intake (≥20% but <35% of energy or ≥10% higher than a comparison intake) and reported measures of kidney function. Studies (n = 26) of healthy, free-living adults (>18 y old) with or without metabolic disease risk factors were included. Studies of subjects with overt disease, such as chronic kidney, end-stage renal disease, cancer, or organ transplant, were excluded. The most commonly reported variable was glomerular filtration rate (GFR), with 13 RCTs comparing GFRs obtained with normal and higher protein intakes. Most (n = 8), but not all (n = 5), RCTs reported significantly higher GFRs in response to increased protein intake, and all rates were consistent with normal kidney function in healthy adults. The evidence from the current review is limited and inconsistent with regard to the role of protein intake and the risk of kidney stones. Increased protein intake had little or no effect on blood markers of kidney function. Evidence reported here suggests that protein intake above the US RDA has no adverse effect on blood pressure. All included studies were of moderate to high risk of bias and, with the exception of 2 included cohorts, were limited in duration (i.e. <6 mo). Data in the current review are insufficient to determine if increased protein intake from a particular source, i.e., plant or animal, influences kidney health outcomes. These data further indicate that, at least in the short term, higher protein intake within the range of recommended intakes for protein is consistent with normal kidney function in healthy individuals.
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I've suspected for a long time that poor kidney function does not really require absurdly low levels of protein intake.
I think a lot of the medical myth has a lot to do with the perception that a higher protein intake increases creatinine levels, and because the eGFR formula used by rote and without question following the pied piper training of lemmingian doctor NPCs and transmitted to an uncritical base of miseducated people leads to the wrong think that eating less protein correlates to lower creatinine levels and a formulaic increase in the eGFR. An increase in calculated eGFR is assumed to indicate better kidney health.
But the e in eGFR means the eGFR is just an estimate, no better than a guess or a rule of thumb, and eGFR can be way off the mark when compared to actual GFR. And creatinine levels do not necessarily have a negative correlation to glomerular filtration rates (GFR).
This myth is a disservice to our health as it leads us to unnecessarily low levels of protein intake, which would severely rob us of key nutrients needed for our health upkeep.
Another association with protein intake has to do with protein being acidic, and because of this fact, protein avoidance or minimization is needed to keep the body ecf (extracellular fluid) from being acidic.
While it is true that we rely on our kidneys to maintain pH balance, and to keep us from being chronically acidic and to keep our organs from degenerating by calcification and fibrosis, it isn't by the fearful reduction of meat and protein intake that we keep ourselves from becoming chronically acidic and diseased, it starts with us knowing how to maintain a healthy lifestyle centered a lot on having the nutrients that keep our organs from degenerating and aging.
The kidneys that stay young and working well benefit greatly from keeping our ecf pH optimal such as calcification and fibrosis are avoided. Lessening protein intake may be needed when kidneys are already advanced in their degeneration, but with healthy kidneys that benefit from good acid balance protein restriction is not something to be of concern as healthy kidneys and a sound mitochondrial sugar-dominant metabolism provides us with a surplus of a pH buffer in the form of CO2 to keep us in a continual state of acid base balance.
