Low salt/ protein diets are routinely prescribed for kidney disease patients
to "reduce strain on the kidneys". A vet has posted to the Paleodiet list
the success of low phosphate diets in animals with kidney failure. Human
renal specialists avoid this tactic as "everything contains phosphate" quote
unquote.

Interesting that recent attention is focusing on PRAL potential renal acid
load of diets- renal load after metabolism. Renal acid load forces the
kidneys to excrete acid (in form of ammonia) (or else bone lose calcium and
buffers it). Salt and protein provide an acid load on the kidney- worse
still on the failing kidney (i.e. more work per nephron as there are fewer
nephrons). Ammonia excretion requires the kidney to get glutamate and
utilise that to make ammonia. (Still it's nice to see glutamate doing
something good considering all the bad things MSG does).

This excess acid load  can be neutralised by sufficient mineral water (high
bicarbonate types), or by fruit and veg, but will be made worse by cereal
grains which have a positive acid load.

Very few renal specialists know much about dietary acid load. Thus the whole
question of protein straining kidneys remains open until we get an opinion
from those who know.

What we really need is a kidney specialist who is into Paleo diets.

The lean protein problem is related to the inability of the liver to convert
excess nitrogen to urea- which I think is probably limited by intake of
vitamins etc, but there ain't no data.

Todd- the sickness the animals get from steak diets is best answered by vet
Ian Billinghurst www.drianbillinghurst.com and I have asked him and will
pass on any useful reply.

Ben Balzer

-----Original Message-----

A while ago I spent a lot of time trying to find any studies which show
adverse effects of high protein diet on kidneys or liver. The results found:
0.

If you have sufficient amounts of fat or carbs (or combination of both) high
protein intake shouldn't be a problem.
If you try to live on a lean protein alone you get sick befor you develope
symptoms of kidney failure.