A novel study reveals that taking a vegetarian diet regularly helps patients suffering from kidney disease by avoiding the accretion of toxic levels of phosphorus in the body. The higher level of phosphorus mineral can escort to heart disease and prove lethal for patients suffering CKD (Chronic Kidney Disease).
To investigate the effects of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian diet on the levels of phosphorus in the body, research team led by Sharon Moe, MD from Indiana University School of Medicine and Roudebush Veterans Affairs Medical Centre, examined phosphorus levels of body in nine patients suffering CKD.
All the patients were told to pursue vegetarian or non-vegetarian diet for the period of one week and then switch to opposite diet two to four week later. At the end of every week, the blood and urine samples of all the patients were collected by the research team.
The results of the study showed that both vegetarian and non-vegetarian diet had equal concentration of protein and phosphorus, however, patients who consumed vegetarian diet reported lower levels of phosphorus in their body. A whole grain based diet has a low phosphate-to-protein ratio and much of the phosphate is in the form of phytate.
Due to that it is not eagerly engrossed. The findings of the study show that the source of protein in diet has chief effect on the levels of phosphorus in patients of kidney disease, explained Dr. Sharon Moe. If these results confirmed in loner studies, give underlying principle for proposing a preponderance of grain-based vegetarian sources of protein to patients with CKD.
This diet would allow augmented intake of protein without unfavorably affecting levels of phosphorus in the body, wrote Dr.Moe in a press release.