People living with impaired kidney function due to CKD have been treated in numerous countries with a combination approach utilizing a very low-protein diet and keto-analogues of essential amino acids. Understanding a very low protein diet is simple enough, just getting protein from higher quality sources and monitoring one’s intake, limiting higher protein foods depending on the person’s proteinuria levels. Keto-analogues may, however, not be a very widely understood concept.
The key factor that makes Keto-Analogues (like Albutrix) a more effective source of nutrients for those suffering from impaired kidney function is the fact that the keto-acids in keto-analogues do not posses the amino group bound to the alpha carbon of an amino acid. What this means, plainly, is that they can be converted to their respective amino acids without the added burden of excess nitrogen. This helps keep the toxic load on the kidneys low while still allowing the keto-analogues to fill in any nutritional deficiencies which may crop up from being on a very low protein diet.
Many of the most recent research studies into the subject have confirmed that a very low protein diet together with keto-analogues can not only positively impact kidney disease sufferers’ metabolic health and protein synthesis, but it may also slow further kidney function decline.
A retrospective cohort study, which followed 140 people with CKD in stages 3 through 4, sought to monitor the progression of nutritional and metabolic health among the group. One half of the group was put on a low protein diet with just 0.6 grams of protein allowance per day, the other group was given an even smaller protein allowance of just 0.3 grams of protein, which was further supplemented with Keto-Analogues in the amount of 100 mg per day for a 12 month period.
Researchers found that upon the completion of those 12 months, eGFR had significantly decreased in the low protein diet group, and urine protein actually increased. These changes were not observed in the group who stuck with the low protein diet together with Keto-Analogue supplementation. After further analysis, researchers deduced that the added protection offered by the Keto-Analogues helped to shield against the incidence of declining GFR. The researchers concluded that using a low protein diet in tandem with Keto-Analogue supplementation could significantly delay renal function decline while safeguarding nutritional status. For more of the latest on Keto-Analogues and what they could do for you, be sure to visit Albutrix.
