Partial Replacement Of Animal Protein by Soy Protein In The Diet Of Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease And its Positive Effect On Metabolic Acidosis

Introduction: The diet has a strong influence on the formation of acidic load in the metabolism of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The aim of the study was to evaluate changes on parameters of acidosis in patients with CKD, after one week of partial replacement of dietary animal protein with plant protein (soybean). Materials and Methods: Twenty-eight patients with CKD were selected for this experimental study. A nutritional intervention was carried out which consisted of including textured soy protein (TSP) in one of the main meals of the day for one week. The potential renal acid load (PRAL), (Remer, Manz., 1995), of the diet was calculated before and during the intervention. Anthropometric data and blood and urinary parameters of metabolic acidosis were taken before and after the intervention. Comparisons between pre- and post-intervention time-points were made by non-parametric Wilcoxon test. Results: Twenty-eight patients of both genders participated in the study. There was a decrease in PRAL during intervention (median 37.9 vs 25.1mEq/d) and a significant increase in BIC (median 21.3 vs 23.5 mEq/L) and blood pH (7.29 vs 7.31), as well as changes in urinary pH (from Δ 0.21 X to Δ of 0.35) after one week of this changed diet. Most patients (67%) left the metabolic acidosis state, increasing on average 2.2 mEq/L in serum BIC. Conclusions: In patients at CKD, the partial replacement of dietary animal protein with TSP for one week decrease the dietary acid load and improve metabolic acidosis parameters, even within this short time.