Most people are familiar with diabetes, which severely impacts patients’ daily lives.Diabetic kidney disease is a major complication of poorly controlled diabetes. Nearly 3.8 million people worldwide die from diabetes and its complications each year.Typical symptoms of diabetic kidney disease include proteinuria, hypertension, renal failure, and edema.
Therefore, it is currently recommended that to halt the progression of diabetic kidney disease, comprehensive treatment must be implemented, including diet therapy.Dietary management is a critical part of diabetes treatment. So how should diet therapy be carried out?
Our bodies require many nutrients daily to maintain normal function.For kidney disease, protein intake must be restricted, especially in the presence of renal insufficiency.Fat and salt intake should also be controlled, while sufficient calorie intake must be ensured to prevent malnutrition.
Clinical studies have shown that a low-protein diet can reduce urinary protein excretion.For patients with heavy proteinuria, edema, and renal insufficiency, in addition to limiting sodium intake (no more than 2 grams per day), protein intake should be “low but high-quality”.
It is recommended that daily protein intake should not exceed 0.6–0.8 g per kg of body weight(e.g., for a 50 kg patient, total protein should be ≤ 30–40 g per day),mainly consisting of high-biologic-value animal protein, such as milk, eggs, and meat.
In fact, there are different types of protein.Animal protein is high in essential amino acids and is considered high-quality protein, which is necessary for renal function in humans.In contrast, soybean products contain large amounts of non-essential amino acids.Long-term, excessive consumption may not only cause glomerular injury or sclerosis and lead to proteinuria,but also increase the burden on the kidneys, since urea nitrogen — a protein metabolite — must be filtered by the glomeruli.This can further damage renal function and worsen the patient’s condition.The right approach must be chosen for diet therapy.
Protein supplementation must be moderate.Excessive protein intake is very harmful to patients with diabetic kidney disease.If diabetic symptoms occur, the correct approach is to receive systematic diagnosis and treatment at a hospital in a timely manner.
Patients should also be careful with their diet and avoid high-protein foods, especially soybean products,to prevent worsening diabetes and the development of renal complications.
Clinical trial results have shown that a low-protein diet can delay the progression of diabetic kidney disease.