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Eleven reasons to control the protein intake of patients with chronic kidney disease

Nature Clinical Practice Nephrology volume 3, pages 383–392 (2007)Cite this article

Abstract

For many years patients with chronic kidney disease have been advised to control the protein content of their diet. This advice has been given on the basis of a number of reported metabolic effects of lowering protein intake, such as lowering serum urea nitrogen levels, improving phosphocalcic metabolism and insulin resistance and, more recently, ameliorating proteinuria (independent of antiproteinuric medications). The effects on the progression of kidney disease, although spectacular in experimental studies, have been less convincing in humans. It is possible that flawed design of clinical trials is responsible for this discrepancy. In this Review, we comment on experimental findings that indicate that limiting protein intake protects the kidney and ameliorates uremic symptoms, outline how the body adapts to a reduction in protein intake, and describe the metabolic benefits to the patient. We then review the evidence from randomized controlled trials and meta-analyses that pertains to the effects of low-protein diets in adults with chronic kidney disease.

Key Points

  • A high protein load acutely increases glomerular filtration rate, and severity of microalbuminuria and glomerulosclerosis

  • Protein restriction can improve insulin sensitivity, lipid profile and blood pressure, and ameliorate proteinuria, renal osteodystrophy and metabolic acidosis

  • The few high-quality clinical trials of low-protein diets that have been conducted have not detected the same degree of kidney protection as experimental studies

  • Nevertheless, a threshold of 'safe' protein intake for patients with chronic kidney disease of 0.6–0.8 g protein/kg body weight/day is recommended

  • Compliance with low-protein diets can be poor, and individualized monitoring is necessary

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Figure 1: Results of a systematic review of the effect on 'renal death' of low-protein diets in people with chronic kidney disease

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. and Chief of the Division of Nephrology at the Edouard Herriot Hospital, D Fouque is Professor of Nephrology at the University Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Lyon,

    Denis Fouque

  2. M Aparicio is Professor Emeritus of Nephrology at the University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France.,

    Michel Aparicio

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  1. Denis Fouque
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  2. Michel Aparicio
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Correspondence to Denis Fouque.

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Drs Fouque and Aparicio have received speakers fees from Fresenius-Kabi.

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Fouque, D., Aparicio, M. Eleven reasons to control the protein intake of patients with chronic kidney disease. Nat Rev Nephrol 3, 383–392 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/ncpneph0524

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