What About Protein Supplements?

November 26th, 2008 at 09:15pm Dr. John C. Maynard

Today I was asked about using protein supplements to help build muscles.  Creatine is sometimes taken as a nutritional supplement in weight lifters.  But it can cause an allergic reaction in the kidneys called interstitial nephritits.  And if you have any early kidney problem, it can make it get worse.   Eating a high protein diet is associated with increased pressure in the kidneys in experimental animals; this is called glomerular hypertension and leads to scarring in the kidneys.   If you know for sure you will never get any problems putting you at risk for kidney trouble - that is, no hypertension, diabetes, weight problem, vascular disease or need to have a kidney removed - then you kidneys will be safe if you eat a high protein diet.  Especially if you do not plan on getting old.  But we don’t know what the future holds for us, do we.  You may want to donate a kidney to someone.  Or maybe you do want to get old, after all.  And you probably will get at least one of the above conditions at some point.  So my advice is to avoid protein supplements that are not prescribed by your doctor, and avoid a high protein diet.  Eat a well-balanced diet, following the “food pyramid” published by our own government.     John C Maynard, MD      Rockford Nephrology Associates 

Entry Filed under: Kidney Health