High-protein diets do not negatively affect kidney function

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Thursday, October 14, 2010 7:04 am Email this article
In the past, another concern about high-protein was that they would cause kidney problems. This is not so according to a recent study.

People eating a high-protein diet (25 percent of calories as protein) showed no signs of adverse effects on kidney function compared to people eating a low-protein diet (12 percent of calories as protein).

Kidney volume increased by 9 cubic centimeters in the high-protein group compared to a decrease of 6 cubic centimeters in the low-protein group, but there was no excess protein in the urine (albuminuria) in either group.

“Moderate changes in dietary protein intake cause adaptive alterations in renal [kidney] size and function without indications of adverse effects,” the authors concluded.

REFERENCE

Skov A, Toubro S, Bulow J, Krabbe K, Parving H, Astrup A. Changes in renal function during weight loss induced by high vs low-protein low-fat diets in overweight subjects. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 1999 Nov, 23(11):1170-77.

AUTHOR’S CONTACT INFORMATION

A. R. Skov
Research Department of Human Nutrition
The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University
Copenhagen, Denmark

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