Plant-based diets and their effects on the metabolism and survival of chronic renal patients undergoing conservative treatment

Abstract

Diet therapy in conservative treatment of chronic kidney disease involves protein restriction, but there is not enough evidence to recommend a parti-cular type of protein, whether animal or plant based. However, studies suggest that plant-based diets help reduce the consumption of total and animal protein, reduce the need for nephroprotective drugs, improve complications and bring advantages in terms of disease progression and patient survival. The article considers up-to-date data on the effects of this diet and observed that when low in protein, primarily vegetable and in some cases supplemented with ketoanalogues, it can result in positive clinical outcomes, such as: delay in the decrease in the glomerular filtration rate, lower concentrations of urea, reduction of serum creatinine and phosphorus concentrations, lower metabolic acidosis, higher insulin sensitivity and lower systemic inflammation. As a whole, this dietary pattern may be able to postpone the start of dialysis with less progression of renal insufficiency. Additional research is needed to better characterize this dietary pattern.