For people with kidney disease, the right amount of protein in their diet depends on their age, health, and other conditions—too little can cause poor nutrition, but too much might harm the kidneys. Doctors usually suggest between 0.6 and 1.2 grams per kilogram of body weight each day.

Eating too much protein might make kidney problems worse in people who already have kidney issues or are at risk for them, by putting extra strain on the kidneys and causing more damage over time.

Eating less protein might help people with kidney disease by reducing protein in their urine, slowing down kidney damage, and delaying the need for dialysis or transplant.

If you're an adult who's overweight and has mild kidney disease, losing weight on a high-protein diet might actually help your kidneys a little over 8 months — even if you eat up to 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight each day.

Eating a lot of protein every day — even more than 200 grams — won’t hurt your kidneys if they’re already healthy.

When people with kidney disease eat a lot of protein, it can lead to more harmful waste in their body because their gut bacteria get out of balance and their kidneys can't clean it out well, causing heart problems and swelling.