Preventing Kidney Failure Through Diet

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Given how vascular our kidneys are, it should comes as no surprise that animal protein, animal fat, and cholesterol are associated with declining kidney function (microalbuminurea—loss of protein in the urine), which can be an early warning sign not only for kidney failure, but also for heart disease and a shortened lifespan.

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Our kidneys are highly vascular organs. That’s why they look so red inside. After all, our two little kidneys have to filter through our entire blood supply, and as such, receive about 20% of our cardiac output, every time our heart contracts. And so, if the standard American diet is so toxic to the blood vessels in our heart, brain, and pelvis—leading to heart attacks, strokes, and sexual dysfunction—what might it be doing to our kidneys?

Researchers at Harvard recently put that question to the test. Thousands of women, and their diets, and their kidney function were followed for a decade. What they’re looking for is the presence of protein in the urine, known as microalbuminuria. There’s not supposed to be any protein in our urine. The whole point of our kidneys is to keep the good stuff in our blood, and get rid of the bad. It’s supposed to hold on to protein, and if it doesn’t, that’s a sign our kidneys are starting to fail.

There were three significant risk factors for declining kidney function in these women—none of which come as a surprise, given that we’re talking about clogged and inflamed blood vessels: “Specifically, diets higher in animal protein, animal fat, and cholesterol may be associated with [microalbuminuria—failing kidneys].” No such association was found for plant protein or plant fat.

And microalbuminuria is kind of a canary in a coal mine, telling you there’s something definitely wrong with your blood vessels. “[Microalbuminuria] and modest decrements in [kidney function] are powerfully associated with subsequent overt kidney disease, cardiovascular risk, and all-cause mortality [meaning a shortened lifespan]. In summary, diets lower in animal protein, animal fat, and cholesterol may be protective against [this kidney damage].”

To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video. This is just an approximation of the audio contributed by Serena.

Please consider volunteering to help out on the site.

Images thanks to LadyofHats via Wikimedia Commons and avlxyz via flickr.

Our kidneys are highly vascular organs. That’s why they look so red inside. After all, our two little kidneys have to filter through our entire blood supply, and as such, receive about 20% of our cardiac output, every time our heart contracts. And so, if the standard American diet is so toxic to the blood vessels in our heart, brain, and pelvis—leading to heart attacks, strokes, and sexual dysfunction—what might it be doing to our kidneys?

Researchers at Harvard recently put that question to the test. Thousands of women, and their diets, and their kidney function were followed for a decade. What they’re looking for is the presence of protein in the urine, known as microalbuminuria. There’s not supposed to be any protein in our urine. The whole point of our kidneys is to keep the good stuff in our blood, and get rid of the bad. It’s supposed to hold on to protein, and if it doesn’t, that’s a sign our kidneys are starting to fail.

There were three significant risk factors for declining kidney function in these women—none of which come as a surprise, given that we’re talking about clogged and inflamed blood vessels: “Specifically, diets higher in animal protein, animal fat, and cholesterol may be associated with [microalbuminuria—failing kidneys].” No such association was found for plant protein or plant fat.

And microalbuminuria is kind of a canary in a coal mine, telling you there’s something definitely wrong with your blood vessels. “[Microalbuminuria] and modest decrements in [kidney function] are powerfully associated with subsequent overt kidney disease, cardiovascular risk, and all-cause mortality [meaning a shortened lifespan]. In summary, diets lower in animal protein, animal fat, and cholesterol may be protective against [this kidney damage].”

To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video. This is just an approximation of the audio contributed by Serena.

Please consider volunteering to help out on the site.

Images thanks to LadyofHats via Wikimedia Commons and avlxyz via flickr.

Nota del Doctor

The references to the other organs affected by atherosclerosis can be explored in Cholesterol and Female Sexual Dysfunction; Cholesterol and Lower Back Pain; Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms: Ticking Time Balloons; and Heart Attacks and Cholesterol: Purely a Question of Diet. Be sure to check out my other videos on Harvard studies, and my other videos on kidney health. Next, I’ll address Treating Kidney Failure Through Diet.

Also check out my associated blog posts: Eating To Extend Our Lifespan; Preventing and Treating Kidney Failure With Diet; and Stool Size and Breast Cancer Risk.

To see all of my latest videos on kidney health, check out the topic page.

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