Dietary Acid Load and Chronic Kidney Disease

Abstract

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a condition in which kidneys are damaged and can not function well, so this leads to the aggregation of excessive fluid and waste products in the blood. The acidity and alkalinity of urine are affected by our daily diet. Dietary proteins, especially amino acids containing sulfur (e.g., methionine and cysteine), are the major determinants of the dietary acid load because they can produce sulfate due to oxidation. Diet can affect the excreted acidity through the kidneys to maintain the acid-base balance. Diets with animal protein content contain more precursor acids than basic precursors compared to fruits and vegetables that produce more acid in the body than animal proteins and dramatically affect CKD and its progression. Acid-producing diets can cause high blood pressure through the kidneys, causing the production of the hormones angiotensin II, endothelin-1, and aldosterone. Metabolic acidosis can cause CKD and reduced bone tissue.