Can eating a lot of protein while losing weight hurt your kidneys?
A Specific High-Protein Weight Loss Program Does Not Impair Renal Function in Patients Who Are Overweight/Obese
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Kidney function improved in people with CKD grade 3 on a high-protein diet.
Doctors often recommend low-protein diets for CKD patients, so seeing improvement with high protein intake contradicts standard advice.
Practical Takeaways
If you're overweight and considering a high-protein diet for weight loss, kidney damage shouldn't be your main concern—especially if you have regular check-ups.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Kidney function improved in people with CKD grade 3 on a high-protein diet.
Doctors often recommend low-protein diets for CKD patients, so seeing improvement with high protein intake contradicts standard advice.
Practical Takeaways
If you're overweight and considering a high-protein diet for weight loss, kidney damage shouldn't be your main concern—especially if you have regular check-ups.
Publication
Journal
Nutrients
Year
2022
Authors
Anne-Sophie Truche, S. Bailly, O. Fabre, Rémy Legrand, P. Zaoui
Related Content
Claims (5)
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.
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 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.