High protein consumption/keto diet for a kidney transplant guy

#1

I’ve been following a guy named Ben Azadi who stresses a daily protein amount of 1 gram/pound of target body weight for those looking to shed body weight. He alternatively suggests 30 g protein 3X a day.
A good friend is in this situation and would love to know if he can follow this protocol without adverse effects. He had a kidney transplant about 10 years ago, and I’m guessing his body fat is 35% +.
He really wants to get it down to a healthy range (ideally 20% max)
So the question is, does 100 grams+/day of protein risk kidney damage?

(Joey) #2

Normally, I’d say not a risk but an organ transplant recipient likely faces a host of special needs, medications, and vulnerabilities which would warrant the application of expert considerations.

Getting answers from the internet (from folks like me :wink: ) would not be something upon which I’d place much reliance.

Best wishes for your friend’s continued improving health.

(Bean) #3

Definitely have your friend work with his specialist. ICMNI, a clinic that works with patients on a medical carnivore diet, does not recommend their diet to transplant patients. Not because of the protein content, which is modest on their version (18%), but because it stimulates the immune system. Since their diet is full carnivore, which is not what your friend is considering it might not be relevant.

Regardless, it would be worth working with whoever is prescribing his meds to monitor any changes your friend makes to his diet, keto or not.

#4

Protein doesn’t hurt healthy kidneys, even in the case of impaired renal function, you still need the protein you need, that doesn’t change. Those people need to get it in slower throughout the day.

Having a kidney transplant (should) mean his kidney function is fine, if his eGFR is normal, the rules aren’t different for him than anybody else. That said, eGFR is a calculated guess at kidney health, people who eat higher protein will have a lowered eGFR because of it because of higher creatinine, in that case, you do a cystatin-c to check actual kidney function/health.

100g isn’t high at all for any situation.