A recent multi-university collaborative study investigated how different protein-rich foods impact the risk of developing chronic kidney disease (CKD). Learn what the researchers discovered, and why fish may be the most protective protein for kidneys.*

What the researchers did

For the study, researchers analyzed the data of 3,726 adults without CKD who had previously participated in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study. The average age of participants was 54 years.

• 62% were Black
• 60% were female 
• 44% had hypertension
• 13% had diabetes

The goal of the study was to determine the relationship between dietary protein and new cases of CKD, defined as a person’s eGFR (remaining kidney function) dropping below 60.

The data showed that, on a daily basis, participants ate:

• 1.2 servings of red meat (bacon, hamburger, hot dogs, processed red meat)
• 0.4 serving of fish (tuna, seafood, other fish)
• 0.4 serving of poultry (chicken, turkey)
• 0.3 serving of eggs 
• 0.3 serving of legumes (baked beans, lima beans, lentils, peas)
• 0.1 serving of nuts 

What they found

The research team discovered that all of the protein-rich foods had distinct metabolic markers, with fish having the most protective effect against developing CKD. The findings suggest that a compound in fish called 1-docosahexaenoyl glycerophosphocholine (also known as 22:6n3), may be responsible for reducing this risk.

“Protein-rich foods have distinct nutritional characteristics and variable associations with kidney outcomes,” said study co-author Lauren Bernard, MHS, of the epidemiology department at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. “Identifying metabolomic markers of dietary protein can also lead to improved dietary assessment and inform dietary recommendations to modify kidney disease risk.”

What it means

While the results of this study indicate that fish may have a protective benefit against developing CKD in the first place, they also serve to support the findings of previous studies concerning the benefits of seafood and fish oil for those already living with CKD, even those on dialysis. 

*Carter, S. M. (2024, February 26). Study: Eating fish may help protect against CKD. Nephrology News & Issues. https://www.healio.com/news/nephrology/20240226/study-eating-fish-may-help-protect-against-ckd 

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