When you are first diagnosed with kidney disease, you are typically given a protein restriction. As the disease progresses, however, your needs will change dramatically. While you will still need to be careful with the amounts of other nutrients that you are getting and the amount of fluids that you consume each day, you will see an increase in the need for protein. It is very important to follow the recommendations of the nutritionist no matter what stage you are in currently, especially in the later stages when dialysis begins.
Dialysis depletes protein during the procedure, which can then lead to a lack of energy, loss of lean muscle, and weakness. In addition, a lessened amount of protein can lead to an increase in infections in the body, slower healing and edema (swelling), especially in the feet or ankles. Protein also works to promote tissue growth and repair and prevents the development of anemia.
To test for the proper protein level, blood work is used and reviewed by your medical team, which often includes a doctor, a nurse and a dietician. The blood is tested for Albumin, a type of protein. A decreased amount of this protein is linked to more and longer hospital visits for dialysis patients and early death as well.
Because dialysis starts when the patient reaches end stage renal disease, it is common to feel weaker and have a decreased appetite. Another common factor is the change of tastes, especially in regard to protein foods, which may taste funny to the dialysis patient. The texture of protein foods may feel weird or strange to them. There are alternatives to animal protein, which tend to be the problem in most cases, including plant-based proteins and protein supplements. Proteins that come from plant sources are incomplete, meaning that they are lacking one or more of the eight essential amino acids that the body cannot make on its own. For most patients, complete protein should be at least 50% of the diet, but could be as high as 75%.
More about What Protein Does for Your Body
Protein is vital for nearly every cell and function in the body, including the creation of hormones and enzymes that are needed to regulate digestion, ovulation and even sleep. In addition to these, the body uses the amino acids in protein to create new amino acids. The body uses protein to build and restore lean muscle mass, to heal wounds and to fight against infections as they come up.
As the body fights the kidney disease, it is important to allow it to have the strength that it needs to do so and to be ready to fight off any infections that come along.
Options to Consider with Protein
Animal proteins are complete, meaning that they have all of the essential amino acids present. There are several different types of animal proteins, some of which are not technically meat, including eggs (the perfect protein), milk and cheese. There are leaner meat options that include turkey and chicken breast and fish. Higher fat protein choices include beef, pork and lamb and should be eaten only in very small amounts on occasion. In addition to animal proteins, there are plant proteins, which are incomplete as described above but are lower in fat and calories. Anyone who has the potential for food allergies should be sure to introduce new food sources carefully to avoid reactions.
While healthy and varied foods are the best bet for your protein sources, it is important to note that there are several kinds of protein supplements to use as well. For instance, there are protein bars, shakes and powders, protein shots and protein puddings. There are newer sources of protein as well, including protein-boosted, flavored water products which might be helpful for a lighter taste. However, the right protein supplement for you should be discussed with your nutritionist or doctor. Protein bars can be a fast and tasty way to increase the protein intake, however, it is important to consider the ingredients of each bar. Make sure that there is a substantial amount of protein in each bar with only a small amount of sugar or fat. This is important to consider because higher sugar intake can cause problems related to infections and slower healing time. It can also cause weight gain, which is not something that you want at this point.
Protein powders come in several varieties, including rice, soy, egg and whey, and each has their own benefits and advantages. However, there are some drawbacks to each of these. With the exception of whey, these are all complete protein sources. There are several ways to mix and consume protein powders, however, they have to be mixed completely or they will taste bad, making them hard to handle.
Another option is the protein supplement shot, such as Profect, from Protica. Very small in size (less than three fluid ounces per serving), it is easy and fast to consume and comes in a number of different flavors. There are also several sizes of Profect for convenience and lowered costs.
Eating Well with Renal Failure: A Case Study
Rose has end stage renal disease and is going to dialysis treatment several times a week. She has been trying to keep up with all of the recommendations made for her by the nutritionist, however, she has noticed that she is tired much of the time, her skin feels itchy and dry (a possible sign of too much phosphorous in the body) and she just cannot stomach eating many of the foods that she is used to eating. During a routine blood test, the doctor notes that she is not getting enough protein in her diet and that she is anemic as well. Rose will meet with her nutritionist again to revise her diet plans and to discuss the other options that are available to her for protein.
While Rose is not able to eat meat like she used to, she has found that she can still tolerate eggs, a food that is considered to be the perfect protein and that by which all other protein sources are judged. She can make egg dishes in several different ways, including omelets with cheese and other foods, so that she gets enough nutrition. She can also vary the ingredients so that it is something new. Rose is also going to add in protein supplements like Profect and protein bars.
In addition to the protein supplements, Rose will be carefully monitoring the amount of other nutrients in her diet so that she does not have other health problems. She knows that there are certain symptoms that she should watch for throughout the day, such as itchy skin, which may indicate she has too much of one thing or another in her bloodstream. She will get blood drawn so that her levels can be carefully watched for.
After she has finished with her dialysis for the day, Rose is typically tired and cranky, so she uses Profect to help her feel a little more satisfied so that she can make it home without feeling queasy and weak.
Protica Research (Protica, Inc.) specializes in the development of Capsulized Foods. Protica manufactures Profect, IsoMetric, Pediagro, Fruitasia and over 100 other brands, including Medicare-approved, whey liquid protein for immunodeficiency patients. You can learn more at Protica Research – Copyright