Volume 28, Issue 154, December 2024

Plant-based diets in chronic kidney disease: Potential benefits and risks in renal function management

Paweł Godlewski^1♦, Anna Gwóźdź-Broczkowska¹, Bartosz Górecki¹, Aisha Hassan¹, Sara Hassan², Szymon Bienia²

¹Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University in Warsaw, Wóycickiego 1/3, 01- 938 Warsaw, Poland
²Medical University of Silesia, Medyków 18, 40-752 Katowice, Poland

^♦Corresponding Author
Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University in Warsaw, Wóycickiego 1/3, 01- 938 Warsaw, Poland

ABSTRACT

A slow decline in kidney function characterize chronic kidney disease (CKD), which impacts about 10% of the global population. Dietary methods, particularly plant-based diets (PBD), are gaining popularity as a possible means of managing the illness, given the limited availability of existing therapy choices. The primary objective of this review is to evaluate the impact of a plant-based diet on the health of patients with CKD and its potential role in slowing disease progression. This review is based on an analysis of literature from 2019 to 2024, selected using keywords such as "plant-based diet", "vegetarian diet", "chronic kidney disease and vegetarian diet", "chronic kidney disease and plant-based diet". It includes the findings of clinical studies, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses. Results suggest that limiting animal protein in favor of plant protein may positively affect kidney function by reducing filtration load and improving metabolic parameters in CKD patients. A PBD, rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory components, may support kidney health, though it requires careful balancing to avoid deficiencies in vitamins and minerals (e.g., B12, D, iron). The reason for this emphasizes the need for additional study to confirm the long-term benefits of a plant-based diet for CKD patients.

Keywords: Chronic kidney disease, nutrition, plant-based diet, vegetarianism

Medical Science, 2024, 28, e145ms3466

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.54905/disssi.v28i154.e145ms3466

Published: 03 December 2024