Why should you even worry about protein? There are many answers to that question. First, protein is the primary component of all of the lean muscle mass in your body. Second, protein is a central ingredient in every cell. There are other functions, too. Many enzymes and hormones are manufactured from proteins, which are essential to the processes of digestion, metabolism, ovulation and sleeping. Protein bolsters your immune system, aids in healing and provides energy, all while maintaining and balancing the amount of fluid in your body. As you can see, protein is vital to survival.
There are two main sources of protein: plant-based and animal-based. The latter includes such sources as milk, cheese, eggs, fish, turkey, chicken, beef and other meat products. These animal-based proteins are considered to be complete proteins because they contain all of the amino acids required by the body. Amino acids are the 20 basic building blocks of protein. Nine of these are known as the essential amino acids because they cannot be manufactured by the human body and must be ingested.
Plant proteins, with a few exceptions, are incomplete, since they are missing at least one of the essential amino acids. Soy and derivatives such as miso, tempeh and tofu are complete sources of protein. One of the benefits of plant proteins is their tendency to be lower in calories and fat. Their lack of saturated fats is of particular note, especially for those kidney patients who are trying to follow a more healthy diet and keep the pounds off.
Everyone has a unique body chemistry, which means that everyone has different protein requirements, based upon their particular size, condition, level of activity and general health. Most kidney patients will require lower amounts of protein in the early stages of the disease, but by the time dialysis is required, elevated amounts of protein will be necessary because of the amount the dialysis process drains from the body. Patients who use peritoneal dialysis or have had a kidney transplant will especially need a higher level of protein intake.
Kidney disease is nothing to take lightly, and you will need to be as strong as possible to deal with it. Staying healthy means that you will be able to fight off any infections that could cause complications in your condition. You will have to have your blood drawn frequently, and many tests will need to be performed in order to ascertain your general state of health and the progress of the disease. One of these tests will measure the amount of albumin in your system.
Albumin is, as you might have guessed, another type of protein. This is a protein that is linked to kidney disease, and the lack of it can eventually cause weakness, an impaired ability to heal and a tendency to develop infections. The effects of low protein will become more pronounced once you enter end stage renal disease.
There are a lot of things to know when talking about kidney disease, so it will be very important to develop a relationship with a dietician or nutritionist who can help to plan a diet that will be the most beneficial to you and help you to maintain your health at the best possible level. Generally, the foods that will be allowed are the ones that are not only healthy in terms of nutrients, but the most lean as well. Vegans or vegetarians should still have no problem gaining the protein that they need. There are vegan sources of protein in food, but in case those aren’t enough, there are also soy and rice protein powders, which are no problem for vegan diets. Vegetarians who still eat some animal products would do well to look at milk, cheese and eggs, which provide plenty of protein.
The supply of protein should always be looked at in concert with the rest of diet. This includes your calorie count and how much fat various foods contain. Saturated fats in particular can make a source of protein less nutritious than it would otherwise have been, so keep the other ingredients in mind when choosing what foods you eat to get your recommended amount of protein.
Keep in mind that not all food-based protein is digestible by your body. The base from which to start is eggs, which are considered a perfect protein food. This is the reason why athletes in the past have used to drink glasses of raw eggs. Eggs are an excellent source of protein. Every bit of protein found in eggs is used by your body. You don’t have to eat eggs or even egg substitutes to get that same level of protein. Egg protein powder supplements are available so that a renal patient can get necessary nutrients. Disregard the rumors of eggs being high in cholesterol. They are perfectly healthy, and not nearly as high in cholesterol as some myths would have us believe.
A good meat-based source of protein is roasted and skinless turkey breast. It makes a great addition to a diet as a source of lean protein. Poultry, in general, is a good source of protein, but some types are fairly high in fat and calories. Other good protein sources (as well as sources of other necessary nutrients) include salmon and other coldwater fatty fishes.
The Trials of Supplementing a Renal Patient
The right amount of protein is necessary, but for the renal patient, it means having the right kind of protein as well as the right amount. You will have restrictions not only on how many fluids you can take in, but how many other nutrients your body can handle. Certain elements like phosphorous and potassium will be restricted and must be kept track of at all times. It will be a difficult task to find the right protein supplement in light of the fluid restriction. Profect, made by Protica, is a tiny serving, less than three ounces, but has 25 grams of protein. This is more than any other protein supplement of its kind. Not only is it a great addition to your diet, it is also delicious and comes in a number of fruit flavors.
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 protein bullets for diabetic patients. You can learn more at Protica Research – Copyright