Eating More Plant-Based Protein Could Help Lower Your Risk of Chronic Kidney Disease

• New research found that a higher intake of plant-based protein could reduce a person’s risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD).
• According to researchers, preclinical trials indicate that plant-based protein results in less inflammation than animal protein—inflammation is a potentially relevant factor in CKD.
• Experts recommend people implement small, sustainable habits like Meatless Monday into their routine, to gain some benefits from plant-based eating.

A higher intake of plant-based protein could reduce your risk of chronic kidney disease, a new study finds.

The kidneys are critical organs, filtering the blood to remove toxins, control blood pressure, and regulate blood chemicals. But for a significant portion of the population, these filtration organs face certain obstacles.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that 15% of American adults—about 37 million people—live with chronic kidney disease. This condition is defined by a gradual loss of kidney function over time, which increases the risk of stroke, heart attack, anemia, and other serious health outcomes.

New research published in the American Journal of Kidney Diseases suggests that a higher intake of plant-based protein could reduce the risk of developing chronic kidney disease (CKD). In the study, people who ate more plant-based protein were less likely to experience CKD over a nearly 10-year period than those who ate more animal protein.

Researchers have long known that the type of protein we eat can significantly impact the health status of our kidneys.

“There has been accumulating evidence that animal protein consumption may have detrimental effects on vascular health, potentially contributing to the development of kidney disease,” Seung Hyeok Han, MD, PhD, co-author of the study, told Health. 

According to Han, preclinical studies have indicated that animal protein might trigger more inflammation than plant-based protein—a potentially relevant factor in kidney health. 

Despite this, neither the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) guidelines nor the National Kidney Foundation’s Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative (KDOQI) guidelines explicitly address the best source of dietary protein for people with CKD.

The latest KDOQI clinical practice guideline says, “there is insufficient evidence to recommend a particular protein type (plant vs animal) in terms of the effects on nutritional status, calcium or phosphorus levels, or the blood lipid profile.”

These factors led Han and his team to study how choosing plants over animals for dietary protein could enhance kidney well-being.

A Link Between Plant-Based Protein and Kidney Health

Numerous studies have established the benefits of shifting your eating habits in a plant-forward direction. A plant-based diet has been linked with improved heart health, lower weight, reduced risk of some cancers, and more.

Han and his colleagues began their study with the theory that protein from plants offers several advantages over animal protein for the kidneys.

“[These include] a lower acid load, reduced saturated fat content, rich fiber content, and antioxidant properties, among others,” Han said.

The research team tracked over 117,000 participants in the U.K.’s Biobank study, a large wellness research cohort. Subjects had no history of chronic kidney disease and their glomerular filtration rate (the chief indicator of kidney function) ranged from early-stage kidney disease to healthy levels.

Han and his team examined the association between plant-based protein intake and the development of chronic kidney disease, following up with participants, on average, after 9.9 years.

The more plant-based protein people ate, the less likely they were to experience the disease. People with higher levels of plant protein in their diets also had healthier blood pressure, BMI, triglycerides, and inflammatory markers.

The study did note, however, that people who consumed more plant protein were also more likely to maintain other healthy behaviors, such as not smoking and being physically active. They also had fewer co-morbidities.

These additional factors somewhat muddy the waters of whether plant-based protein is directly responsible for healthier kidneys.

Still, the positive effects of plant-based foods affected all groups in the study.

“This beneficial association [of plant-based protein on kidney health] was also evident in individuals with hypertension, diabetes, higher BMI, and higher inflammation level,” Han said.

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How Plant-Based Protein Could Boost Kidney Function

A variety of factors might explain why plant-based protein could promote well-running kidneys. For one thing, a diet with more plant protein is more likely to include vegetables.

“Diets rich in vegetables and low in animal protein contain higher levels of specific amino acids like glutamic acid, cystine, proline, phenylalanine, and serine,” Han said.

These differences in amino acid content might help the kidneys by alleviating their nitrogen load and reducing acid production.

Veggies and other plant-based proteins also have the advantage of containing more fiber than animal proteins.

“Dietary fiber plays a crucial role in changing the composition of gut microbiota, leading to reduced circulating cholesterol levels and inflammation in the body,” Han said.

Nephrologist Silas Norman, MD, MPH, co-medical director of Kidney and Pancreas Transplantation at the University of Michigan and chair of the American Kidney Fund’s board of trustees, agreed that plants’ cholesterol-lowering effects increase their health factor.

“Similar to this study, we’ve seen it suggested in various studies over time that plant-based diets might result in better blood pressure and cholesterol levels, which can ultimately impact kidney disease risk,” he told Health.

Another possibility behind plant-based protein’s impact on kidney health is inflammation.

“One remarkable finding from our study was the significant correlation between higher plant protein intake and improved metabolic profiles and reduced inflammation,” Han said.

He pointed out that, compared to animal proteins, plant-based proteins contain higher levels of antioxidants and lower levels of saturated fat. Both of these nutritional elements can reduce overall inflammation, a key risk factor for kidney disease.

What This Research Means for People at Risk of Kidney Disease

“Broadly, all of us with or without kidney disease might benefit from a plant-based diet to help improve our overall health,” Norman said.

In other words, you don’t have to be at risk of kidney disease to benefit from eating more plant foods. But people with known risks for CKD (such as diabetes or high blood pressure) may especially benefit from swapping animal proteins for plant ones.

“There’s certainly growing evidence in the literature demonstrating the benefits of plant-based proteins in the management of CKD, and this study aligns with these other findings,” Ryan Woolley, MSPH, RDN, director of public education at the American Kidney Fund, told Health.

If you’re new to plant protein, start small. Try implementing Meatless Monday or substitute half the ground meat in casseroles or tacos with a plant alternative like tofu, beans, or lentils. Or, reserve animal protein meals for when you’re dining out, making primarily plant-forward meals at home.

As much as possible, just focus on plant-based changes around minimally processed protein choices—such as soy foods, whole grains, nuts, seeds, beans, and lentils. These are better options for kidney health than highly processed faux meats or frozen dinners.

“Ultra-processed plant-based proteins such as meat substitutes or prepared vegetarian products are typically high in phosphorus, potassium, and sodium,” said Woolley. “Those with kidney disease may need to limit their consumption of these nutrients, as the kidneys may not be working as well as they should to filter these from the body.”

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