Low-carb and kidney damage
 

I reveived an email newsletter from the BBC news health site this morning. One article talks about the danger of low carb high protein diets for people prone to kidney problems--that it leads to dangerously severe kidney disease. The article sites a study that maintains high protein in the form of meat is the culprit that causes kidney problems (they didn't find the problem in people who low carbed on dairy or veggies). You can find the complete article at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/2859733.stm.

As usual, they spout the frequent misinformation about the Atkins diet--that dieters are encouraged to eat unlimited amounts of meat and fats. After the first few days, all Atkins dieters I know of eat small amounts of these foods because of loss of appetite due to ketosis. How can these people continue to write critical articles about Atkins diet plan when they haven't researched it or read the book. (Atkins book's diet plan stresses to eat only until satisfied, not stuffed, which is hardly "unlimited.")

For diabetics at risk of kidney problems, this issue is really important. I'm wondering if anyone else knows about any studies linking low carb diets to kidney disease? This has been my main fear of diets that cause ketosis (I have been soooo thoroughly programed by the medical establishment). Medical doctors sternly caution people about Atkins "fad" diet causing kidney disease, yet I cannot find a "scientific study" that supports this. I'm left in a quandry about how the whole medical establishment can support a strictly intuitive hypothesis when they constantly spout that validity can only be the result of a double blind study? (Circular thinking and hypocrisy?)

Wish i could help you out, but this is also something that concerns me too. I know i've read information that says if you already have kidney disease you shouldn't low carb, but not sure of the stats on whether it actually causes kidney disease.

You won't find any studies proving low carbing causes kidney disease - because there aren't any. ;)

Dr Atkins has publicly challenged anyone with such findings to come forward and to date no one has been able to prove low carbing causes any kind of harm. And you just know that the minute anyone does find such proof, it will be given maximum publicity!

You will find plenty of opinion stating low carb diets cause kidney disease, exploding livers and such, but so far no actual proof has been cited.

Suekay, your link didn't work. Try this one:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/2859733.stm

All the study shows is that some people eating "high protein" diets have mild kidney dysfunction. No mention of whether or not those people had their kidney function tested before they started.
Dr Atkins recommends blood tests for kidney function, among other things, before one starts low carbing. He also says not to eat low carb if you have kidney failure. So this study really tells us nothing.

The most important part of the article is the following:
"Elizabeth Ward, founder and president of the British Kidney Patient Association said: "If you have healthy kidneys, you can't eat enough protein to damage your kidneys."

:rose:Rosebud:rose:

Dr. Bernstein has written an excellent explanation of not only how the kidneys process protein but how the myth of proteinurea being caused by high protein diets came about. He does caution, however, that if there is severe kidney damage already present that high protein in the diet will aggravate it.

http://www.diabetes-normalsugars.co...ppendixa2.shtml

Jim

hi Jim,

Glad you mentioned Dr. Richard Bernstein. In fact, he reversed his own advancing kidney disease by following a low-carb, higher protein diet. His story is also posted at his website ... My First Fifty Years as a Diabetic.

Diabetic Nephropathy is a direct result of uncontrolled high blood sugars, not protein.

He's also posted more from his book, Diabetes Solution, regarding the misinformation about high protein diets ... here.

Doreen