Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease, or ADPKD, is the most common hereditary kidney disease and causes about 10% of all cases of kidney failure.
In a study from Kidney Research Center Cologne and elsewhere, scientists found that ketosis—a state in which the body primarily uses dietary fats as energy sources—may benefit kidney function in people affected by this hereditary polycystic kidney disease.
In polycystic kidney disease, the functional units of the kidneys, the nephrons, are affected. They develop cysts—water-filled sacs—which can significantly limit kidney function.
More than 50% of those affected will have permanently lost kidney function by the age of 50 to 60, making dialysis or a kidney transplant necessary to replace kidney function.
In the study, the researchers tested 63 patients. These people were divided into three groups.
One group followed a ketogenic diet, which is low in carbohydrates and sugar but high in fat, for three months.
The second group did three days of water fasting every month during the study period, which also leads to a ketogenic metabolism.
The third control group followed the common dietary recommendations that doctors usually give for ADPKD: reduce salt intake and drink more than 2–3 liters per day.
The goal—the feasibility of the dietary change—was defined as a combination of a questionnaire and a metabolic test that can detect ketosis.
About 91% of the patients on the ketogenic diet and 89% in the water fasting group rated the diet as feasible in the questionnaire.
Already after three months, there were positive effects such as kidney size and kidney function.
While the kidneys became smaller during a ketogenic diet, they increased in size in the control group.
The team also found that participants on a keto diet showed a much stronger kidney function development compared to the control group.
But they caution that despite these successes, however, the data are not yet sufficient to generally recommend a keto diet for ADPKD patients.
To confirm the results, the team needs to perform larger studies at multiple sites and with longer follow-up periods. The researchers also want to obtain more data regarding safety.
If you care about kidney health, please read studies about drinking that could help lower the risk of kidney injury, and Kidney injury from COVID-19 may be twice as common as diagnosed.
For more information about health, please see recent studies about kidney infection, and results showing this combo treatment may boost survival in kidney cancer.
The study was conducted by Dr. Roman-Ulrich Müller et al and presented at the Kidney Week of the American Society of Nephrology.
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