The Right Diet Can Slow Polycystic Kidney Disease

Although there's no cure for polycystic kidney disease yet, what you eat can have a real effect on how fast the condition progresses. This is why a kidney support diet or "renal diet" is generally considered the best natural treatment for polycystic kidney disease. A well planned diet can control the symptoms of PKD, keeping your kidneys healthy for longer. In fact, you may be able to delay kidney dialysis until your late fifties or even avoid it completely.

It's important to start early, though. If you suspect you carry the polycystic kidney disease gene, but haven't had symptoms of the disease, start following a renal diet anyway. Eating right before you show symptoms is the most effective way to use diet to slow the progression of PKD. Here are a few tips to get you started.

Follow a Low-Protein Diet

When your liver breaks down protein, it produces a waste product called urea, which your kidneys are responsible for getting rid of. That means excess protein in the diet puts a strain on the kidneys.

Track how much protein you eat on an average day and if you discover you're getting more than the USDA Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of .8 grams of protein per kilo of body weight (about .4 grams per pound), try to cut back. Eat less meat, cheese, and even a little less of the higher protein beans and legumes like chickpeas and lentils. Use vegetables and grains for your main dishes and if you need extra calories, add healthy fats like avocados and olive oil.

A low protein diet can make a dramatic difference. According to a study published in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, a well managed low protein diet can give PKD patients an average of nearly one year without dialysis in cases where dialysis would have been needed had there been no dietary intervention. (Waller, M. et al. "Can renal replacement be deferred by a supplemented very low protein diet?" J Am Soc Nephrol. 1999 Jan;10(1):110-6.)

Give Soy a Try

In general, eating less protein can help your kidneys, but there's one protein you may want to get a little more of. The results of a study published in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology in 1999 showed that dietary soy protein can slow the progression of PKD in rats. Rats fed soy as their main protein source had lower kidney weights and fewer cysts compared to those fed casein. (Aukema, Harold M. et al. "Dietary Soy Protein Effects on Inherited Polycystic Kidney Disease Are Influenced by Gender and Protein Level." J Am Soc Nephrol. 10:300-308, 1999). Keep in mind, though, that you'll be better off with traditional fermented soy products like tofu, miso, and tempeh. Non-fermented soy products like soy milk and soy-based protein bars have been shown to cause health problems of their own.

Keep Your Electrolytes Balanced

For most people, this translates to "cut back on salt." Electrolytes are vital minerals in the body, such as calcium, sodium, potassium, and magnesium. The body relies on the kidneys to keep these in balance. Most people eating a typical "Western" diet get too much salt, which can throw this delicate balance off. This is why so many people with polycystic kidney disease develop high blood pressure. In fact, in the Encyclopedia of Health published by the U.S. National Library of Medicine, the entry on PDK specifically recommends a low-salt diet.

To start reducing salt in your diet, use garlic powder, onion powder or other herbs and spices in place of salt. Try to use less of sauces like ketchup and soy sauce. Avoid highly processed foods like meats, soups, and vegetables that come in cans. Even low-sodium varieties of these have more salt that something you'd make at home.

Plenty of potassium can also help, as research conducted by Drs. George and Judith Tanner discovered (Tanner, G. et al. "Citrate therapy for polycystic kidney disease in rats." Kidney Int. Vol. 58 (2000) pp. 1859-1869). Make sure you're getting enough potassium from sources like dried apricots and sweet potatoes

Steer Clear of Foods High in Oxalic Acid

If you have PKD, oxalic acid is something you'll want to avoid. (Kidney, Urologic, and Blood Diseases, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Feb. 2001). Oxalic acid is a chemical compound found in certain vegetables. The body has no known use for it and when the kidneys and liver are functioning well they flush it out of your system with no problem. When you're trying to avoid putting extra strain on your kidneys, though, it's best to stay away from foods that contain higher amounts of oxalic acid. Some major sources are spinach, rhubarb, beets, eggplants, and cocoa. So, you have a good excuse to avoid eating your spinach, but you really should cut back on chocolate, too.

Add Flax Oil to Your Meals

Flax seed oil has also been show to help ease the symptoms of PKD. (Ogborn, M.R., et al. "Flaxseed ameliorates interstitial nephritis in rat polycystic kidney disease." Kidney Int., 1999;55(2):417-23.) Flax oil is an excellent source of a group of fatty acids (omega-3-fatty acids) that are thought to have anti-hypertensive, lipid-lowering and anti-inflammatory effects. All of these benefits can help with polycystic kidney disease.

Following a renal diet for polycystic kidney disease takes planning and dedication, but considering it can help delay the need for dialysis and kidney transplant, it's well worth the effort it takes. If you've just been diagnosed with PKD or learned you may carry the gene, talk with a nutritionist about how you can eat right to keep your kidneys healthy for decades to come.