The health of our kidneys is not something to be taken lightly. There are a number of serious diseases and conditions directly related to the kidneys, and some of them are even life-threatening. One way to help prevent the onset of kidney disease, or to treat an existing kidney condition, is to eat a healthy, well-balanced diet that is rich in protein.
What is the role of the kidneys?
Although they are relatively small organs (only about four inches each long and weigh less than a pound when weighed together), the kidneys play a vital role in our health, even our survival. The kidneys perform an extremely important function in our body: filtering waste and excess fluid from the blood. In fact, the kidneys filter more than half of the body’s digested fluids, releasing up to two quarts of fluid (urine) each day and processing more than 18 gallons of blood every hour of the day.
Kidney diseases and other conditions
There are a number of serious diseases that affect the kidneys, such as kidney stones, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Many of these conditions, if left untreated, can lead to chronic kidney disease (CKD), a condition that affects 26 million Americans. This condition can eventually lead to kidney failure if the patient does not follow proper treatment, which includes eating a healthy, protein-rich diet.
kidney stones
One of the most commonly heard conditions with the kidneys is kidney stones, which is a very painful condition. There are many ways that kidney stones occur and they are made up of a variety of crystals. Most patients with this condition are Caucasian men between the ages of 40 and 70, and the condition is more common if the patient has a family history of kidney stones and other kidney conditions.
There is a chemical process in most people that prevents the crystals from sticking together and forming clumps, which is the equivalent of a hard mass located in the urinary tract. As the mass grows, the condition becomes more and more painful, causing much discomfort when urinating. Although most kidney stones will pass through the body quite easily on their own, some kidney stones can grow large enough to block the urinary tract, requiring emergency medical treatment.
There are several different types of kidney stones, from the calcium oxalate stone to the phosphate oxalate stone. The rarer forms of kidney stones include the struvite stone and the cystine stone. Conditions that can cause kidney stones include gout, too much vitamin D in the system, use of diuretics, and urinary tract obstruction. Some inherited conditions that can lead to kidney disease are:
Hypercalcuria: This is a buildup of calcium in the body and is the cause of up to 50 percent of all kidney stones.
Cystinuria: This is a rare inherited metabolic condition that causes the buildup of cystine, an amino acid that is created when proteins are broken down in the digestive process.
Hyperoxaluria – This is another inherited metabolic condition that is directly related to the buildup of calcium oxalate (a salt) in the blood.
Can protein help kidney conditions like kidney stones?
This is a question that has conflicting answers. On one hand, having enough protein in our diets is obviously a good choice, but, like anything else, when using protein to treat kidney conditions, moderation is key. In order to maintain good kidney health (and overall good health in general), we need to eat a healthy, well-balanced diet with adequate amounts of protein, carbohydrates, fats, sugars, etc. When we eat such a diet, we not only reduce our risk of kidney disease, but we also reduce our risk of developing high blood pressure and many other health conditions. Often having too much protein in our diets (more than 35% of our daily caloric intake) can have adverse effects on our kidneys and a number of conditions can develop.
Before we discuss how protein can affect CKD, let’s look at what protein actually is. Protein is a macronutrient that is made up of chains of amino acids. There are 22 amino acids that the body must have to function, eight essential amino acids and 14 non-essential amino acids. Essential amino acids are so named because they are needed by the body, which cannot produce them on its own. These amino acids are leucine, lysine, valine, tryptophan, threonine, methionine, isoleucine, and phenylalanine.
Get the protein you need
It’s a simple thing to make a few changes to your diet to live a long and healthy life. You need protein, but you also need to know how much protein is enough for your body. That’s why you should check with your doctor before starting a high protein diet or any other type of diet.
There are a number of delicious dietary sources of protein, including meat, fish, poultry, eggs, dairy, nuts, and whole grains that are healthy to add to any diet. But, if you’re not getting enough protein, you can still get what you need by using protein supplements, either included with your meals or used as meal replacements.
How to know how much protein is enough
According to the American Heart Association, the amount of protein digested daily by the average adult should not be more than 35% of their total daily caloric intake. Your doctor can advise you how much protein is good for you, and there’s also a way you can make your own estimate.
Most average adults require 0.8 grams of protein for every kilogram of body weight per day. This number, when combined with a number of other factors, such as age, health level, and activity level, can help you determine how much protein you need in your diet. For example, if you are an active person, you can have a little more protein in your diet, because you will compensate for it. But, if you’re more of a couch potato, your body may only require half of what the average person typically needs.
Here’s a formula you can use to figure out how much protein you need: Divide your weight (in pounds) by 2.2, which will give you your metric weight. Then multiply this number by 0.4 if you are a couch potato, 0.5 to 0.8 if you are somewhat active, and 0.8 to 1 if you are quite active. If you are a bodybuilder, you may need 1.2 to 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight.
