Protecting Your Kidneys

[Sangye]

This article on NPR.org today discusses two research reviews concerning diet and kidney function. One about diet soda and the other about sodium levels.

Diet Sodas May Hurt Kidneys - NPR Health Blog : NPR

[Jack]

When I was trying to preserve the remnants of my kidney function, I was told that restricting protein intake to a minimal level vas very important (together with potasium and sodium restrictions). However, since my kidneys failed anyway, I'm not sure the diet restriction was worth the payoff. I think quality of life must be considered here and the odd diet soda is OK if it is what you crave.

[Doug]

Shame on journalists for writing stories based on research that the researchers themselves acknowledge opens up questions for additional research to corroborate the initial findings! I'd file this in the "keep my eyes and ears open for corroboration, but don't be afraid to have a diet pop from time to time" pile. Butter is bad for you, then it's margarine with blah-blah. No really, olive oil's better for you. Well, I end up eating nothing or peanut butter on bread, even though peanut butter usually has nasties in it, too. Even the "natural" peanut butter can be bad if added sugar and salt are involved. I'm with Jack on the quality of life aspect of food and drink ingestion.

[Sangye]

The article said 2 or more diet sodas a day, not occasional use.

The quality of life argument can be misleading. Smokers use it to justify not quitting. At the same time, they can't breathe, can't climb stairs without coughing up a lung, have to stand out in the heat or cold to maintain the habit without killing everyone around them, etc.... Some quality of life!

I noticed my patients who claimed the quality of life exemption for one thing also claimed it for everything else. They'd have a diet soda every so often. And candy every so often. And donuts every so often. And Doritos every so often. When I'd have them do a weekly food diary, all those "every so oftens" really added up!

Patients who said "I know it's bad for me and I make sure to balance it out" don't tend to get in trouble as much. They'll have the candy but bump up their vitamin C or eat extra veggies the next day.

Personally, you couldn't pay me to drink a diet soda. If I want a soda (extremely rare), I'll take the sugar. At least my body knows what it is!

[Doug]

Points well taken! Pardon this bit of levity, but it does speak to the topic of a doctor's insight into human justifications for harmful or undesireable behaviors. It is why I defer to Sangye's points this time: "Which finger do you pick your nose with?"

With that in mind, perhaps we, in future, should filter out what's significant in preliminary studies, file it away for that time there are corroborative studies, and be more circumspect in the interim about how we deal with matters of our personal health in view of possible harm to ourselves as revealed through one or more of these studies. Ahem. My right index finger, wrapped in a Puffs.