Following a diet rich in proteins may help lower the risk of death among people with chronic kidney disease (CKD), claims a study.

About 850 million people worldwide are estimated to have kidney disease, and most live in low-income and lower-middle-income countries.

The study led by researchers from Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University in Sweden showed that the benefits of proteins may outweigh the downsides in older adults with mild or moderate CKD, in whom disease progression may play a more limited role in survival.

For the study, the team included 8,543 community-dwelling adults 60 years and older between March 2001 and June 2017. They were followed up for mortality from December 2021 to January 2024.

The results, published in the journal JAMA Network Open, revealed “that a higher intake of total, animal, and plant protein was associated with lower mortality in adults 60 years and older with mild or moderate CKD”.

Importantly, the associations were larger among participants without CKD, the team said.

The researchers explained that protein supplementation appears to reduce the risk of death in older persons, possibly by elevating branched-chain amino acid levels. A higher protein intake can boost muscle mass and strength, slower rate of bone loss, higher bone mineral density, lower risk of frailty, and improved cardiovascular function and recovery from illness (including wound healing), said the researchers.

On the other hand, older adults with protein deficiency are at risk of “impairments of muscular, skeletal, and immune function”, they said.

Taking to social media X.com, Dr. Sudhir Kumar, from Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad, noted that a diet rich in proteins will “not damage kidneys”.

“Optimum protein intake is safe for kidneys,” Dr. Kumar said.

Noting that a typical Indian diet is rich in carbohydrates but deficient in proteins, the doctor called on to “make a conscious effort and try to consume about 1 gram of protein per kg of actual body weight (if you are a healthy person)”.

“Requirement of proteins may vary based on your physical activities or if you have a comorbid illness (discuss with your nutritionist and physician for individual dietary advice),” the neurologist said.