> I've heard from several random sources in the past week that a
> "high protein diet is bad for the kidneys."
>
During the vegetarian years this was common dogma to us.  I have always been
leery of too much protein. Considered it to be the cause of kidney failure
over long periods
of time.  Did it affect  early humans that lived much shorter lives in
general than
we do?  Did it matter if the kidneys failed 20 years AFTER they were dead?!
Recently my wife(veterinarian) showed me an article in Veterinary Medicine.
It
discussed the use of a low protein diet in dogs with renal failure as a
treatment to prolong
life and quality of life.  The long and short of it was that a low protein
diet accelerated emaciation
and led to a poor prognosis. During the high protein phase they found the
dogs to be more active and maintained their
weight longer.

Cordain said that a 6 month study was done on a high protein diet and kidney
function with no degradation in
kidney function. I took little comfort in this statement or the fact that so
little concern was placed on perhaps,
the most sensitive organs to high protein intake.

Am interested to hear other research on the subject also.

Jeff