Summary: If there is only one thing you get rid of to help your kidney disease, it’s salt. Salt has consistently been shown, no matter what level of kidney disease is present, to speed the decline of kidney function. A new study points to salt and an accelerated loss of kidney function in polycystic kidney disease.
Doctors have always warned patients with chronic kidney disease to stay away from salt. A new study confirms that for PKD as well. Recent research from the Netherlands shows higher consumption of salt can accelerate the damage the disease does. Kidneys filter the blood and create urine, allowing wastes and toxins to be expelled from the body. Chronic kidney disease is a condition where the kidneys operate with reduced or no function for a considerable amount of time, sometimes indefinitely.
Researchers looked at patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), They collected 24-hour urine samples from 589 patients and took diet into consideration over a period of 4 years. Salt, they found, had a detrimental effect on the study subjects by increasing their blood pressure significantly. Which leads to more kidney damage and loss of kidney function.
Additionally, scientists found protein intake has little to no detrimental effect on those with ADPKD. This is contradictory to other research showing protein restriction has an impact on PKD. However, regardless of your protein intake the one fact is reducing salt intake can greatly help your kidney health.
Check out some of these other articles to learn more about salt’s detrimental impact on kidney health:
Scientists Say CKD Sufferers Need To Skip The Salt!
Using Salt Substitutes May Not Be The Best Seasoning Choice For CKD Patients
