The Study
A Specific High-Protein Weight Loss Program Does Not Impair Renal Function in Patients Who Are Overweight/Obese
This study watched a big group of people who followed a special diet and checked their kidney numbers before and after. It can tell us that kidney numbers stayed the same or got better for most people, but it can't prove the diet caused this because there was no comparison group doing something different.
Analysis score
Maximum 72 for a cohort study.
Where the score came from
This study looked at whether a high-protein diet for weight loss affects kidney function in heavy people.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 541 / 100
Quality score
Groups of people are followed over time to see who develops an outcome. Strong for identifying risk factors and associations, but cannot prove causation as firmly as RCTs.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1The results suggest high-protein diets don’t harm kidneys and might even help people with early kidney issues when losing weight.
- 2People lost 14.5 kg on average.
- 3Kidney function (eGFR) stayed the same or got better, even in those with mild kidney problems.
- 4Those with worse kidney function (CKD 3) improved by 6 points.
- 5People with too-high kidney activity saw it drop by 8 points, which is healthy.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Nutrients
Year
2022
Authors
Anne-Sophie Truche, S. Bailly, O. Fabre, Rémy Legrand, P. Zaoui
Related Content
Claims (5)
Eating a lot of protein every day — even more than 200 grams — won’t hurt your kidneys if they’re already healthy.
If you're overweight or obese and on a high-protein diet to lose weight, your kidneys stay just as healthy — or may even get a little better — even if you already have mild kidney issues, high blood pressure, or type 2 diabetes.
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.
If you're overweight and your kidneys are working too hard at the start, going on a high-protein diet to lose weight might make your kidney function look more normal—not worse—by bringing down their overactivity.
People who are overweight or obese can lose about 14.5 kg in around 8 months on a high-protein, low-carb diet, mostly from fat, while even gaining a little muscle.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.