New research is offering fresh hope for people suffering from chronic kidney disease (CKD). A study from China suggests that cutting back on sugar and carbohydrates could actually help these patients live longer.
This is big news, especially when you consider how common CKD is. Roughly 15% of people in the U.K. and U.S. have this condition.
Current Guidelines vs New Findings
The World Health Organization (WHO) generally recommends a diet low in fats and carbs for most people. For CKD patients, though, the focus is usually on a low-protein diet.
This is because high levels of protein are believed to make the kidneys work harder, potentially worsening the disease.
But there haven’t been many studies exploring the role of carbs for people with CKD. So, the researchers set out to fill that gap.
The team, led by Qidong Ren from Peking Union Medical College Hospital in China, looked at the eating habits of 3,683 CKD patients in the U.S. What they found was interesting.
Patients who got between 30%–45% of their daily calories from carbs lived longer than those who took in around 60%.
Similarly, people who consumed 5%–20% of their calories from sugar were at a lower risk of dying than those who consumed about 40% from sugar.
Swapping Carbs for Protein
The team went a step further and looked at what would happen if you replaced some carbs with protein while keeping total calorie intake the same.
The results were positive. The researchers found that swapping carbs for protein could reduce the risk of dying.
Qidong Ren says, “Our findings suggest that people with CKD should think about not just the amount but the type of carbs they eat.
Replacing regular carbs with protein, or swapping sugar for other types of carbs, can lower the risk of mortality.”
What’s Next?
The researchers caution that more long-term studies with larger samples are needed to be absolutely sure about these findings.
But for now, they say that CKD patients might want to take a closer look at their diet, particularly how many carbs and how much sugar they’re eating.
In a nutshell, if you or someone you know is dealing with chronic kidney disease, a shift in diet might be a simple yet effective way to improve longevity.
But, as always, it’s good to consult with healthcare providers for personalized advice.
If you care about nutrition, please read studies about the best time to take vitamins to prevent heart disease, and vitamin D supplements strongly reduce cancer death.
For more information about nutrition, please see recent studies about plant nutrient that could help reduce high blood pressure, and these antioxidants could help reduce dementia risk.
The study was published in Renal Failure.
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