PKD DIET

Alkalizers

Alkalinity Useful

Urinary alkalinity

There have been no published human clinical trials to date that the PKD PLD Alkaline Diet may help PKD Polycystic Kidney Disease. We have empirical knowledge from our own experiences and these are very positive. The low fat aspect is important. There is some research in the PKD model.

Yeast and Nutritional Yeast Raise Uric Acid

Yeast and nutritional yeast keeps one acidic, raising uric acid. Eating dietary oxalates contributes to acidity.

PKD'rs form cysts within their kidney tubules, similarly to sugar cane workers. Whereas individuals with extreme hypertension causing kidney shut down or diabetes, also causing kidney shut down, have glomerular kidney disease, a more common type.

PKD'rs normally have acidic urine that is low in citrate. This alone can increase uric acid; it increases gout; it increases the chances of forming kidney stones.

Alkalinity Decreases Uric Acid

Urine Alkalization Facilitates Uric Acid Excretion 2010 In Japan they used two types of diets, one of meats (acidify urines); the other fruit and vegetable rich, converts the urine to alkaline. This was a 5 day consecutive study. They collected all day urines from participants and found that after three days urine pH reached a steady state. Researchers conclude that alkalization of urine by eating nutritionally well-designed alkaline foods are effective for removing uric acid from the body.

Uric acid is elevated in PKD.

Alkaline Trial Results 2010

2010 Alkaline Trials was a great year for alkalinity with numerous publications on alkalinity.

Alkaline dialysis trial with alkalizers showed it to be useful for chronic kidney patients.

Research lists the pros and cons for the different diets in CKD. Here are more articles:

2015 Low-protein diets in CKD

2014 rice-fruit diet reverses ECG changes in hypertension
Transition into a very tolerable low fat, largely vegetarian diet, while leading a normal, active life, without medications, indicating that the disease had been permanently modified.

2014 Vegan-vegetarian supplemented low-protein diets in pregnant women with stages 3-5 CKD ↓ detrimental effects on kidney function/proteinuria in the mother.

2014 Vegetarianism might be good for kidney health based on creatinine clearance in this work.

2013 Vegetarian low-protein diets supplemented with keto analogues, option for many?
Patients with severe and progressive CKD have promising results in terms of mortality and progression.

Alkaline Lifestyle Changes

Alkalinity helps maintain cystic organ health by decreasing the work load on the kidneys by decreasing acidity produced by cellular body processes. For some who have tried lifestyle changes alkalinity has created longevity. Based on our experiences, alkalinity seems to hold the key for maintaining healthy for cystic organs, for developing a longer life expectancy, for improved well-being, and for your own satisfaction with your quality of life. 40% of individuals with PKD never need dialysis or transplant. We want to try to assure our inclusion in this group.

What Are Alkaline Foods?

PKD Alkaline Research

Much of the detailed scientific evidence has come through the accurate work of PKD researchers—George and Judy Tanner with the PKD model. Their painstakingly precise measurements gives conclusive proof that strong effective alkalizers such as potassium citrate and sodium citrate, are tremendously helpful in slowing down the progression of cystic organ disease. Their research has given those of us with PKD, needed scientific verification from our own comprehensive self-experimentation and observations that maintaining alkalinity does indeed decrease cystic organ symptoms and therefore could result in a decrease in cystic organ size. The door has been opened. The possibility now exists. By making slight alkaline changes within our own cystic bodies. We have the continued possibility of maintaining cystic organ health over an entire lifetime.

George A. Tanner retired in 2009.

Additionally through alkalinity, one can help preserve the integrity of ones own personal DNA, essentially preventing activation of the second hit phenomenon occurring with both PLD and PKD. This second hit causes an increase in cyst placement within an organ, cyst organ size, cyst numbers, and cyst symptoms.

2010 was a great year for alkaline trials. One 2010 scientific Chronic Kidney Disease clinical trial with alkalinity, concluded that it was alkalinity that increased kidney functioning by slowing down diminished GFR (kidney functioning).

Early in 1994 Dr. Torres PKD research included alkalinity research in the PKD model. For the alkalizer, his research department tried baking soda or sodium bicarbonate. The PKD model was much improved with alkalinity, however by using baking soda, all developed kidney stones. Further testing showed acidity worsens PKD whereas alkalinity is beneficial.

What to do if my urine stays acidic?

Continue on the alkaline diet. Eventually a urinary pH of 7.5 will be achieved or one can try a few additional things to hasten alkalinity:

One tablet of over the counter OTC potassium citrate contains about 1˝ milliequivalent of potassium, less than a banana or orange juice. Some doctors think that this dose is way too small to make any difference, but I find this little bit can swing one easily toward alkaline.
Some use lemon egg or calcium citrate. There are a few who are very cautious about taking extra potassium and prefer calcium citrate from lemon egg. This can also help strengthen bones. Calcium citrate does have an alkalizing effect but it is not as strong an alkalizer as sodium citrate or potassium citrate.

Lemon Egg Recipe
One lady uses lemon egg regularly and always tests 7.5 and even higher.

Alkalizers

Before beginning citrate salt such as potassium citrate or sodium citrate,familiarize yourself with the low and high serum potassium symptoms; get a urinary citrate level (usually low with PKD).

HIGH POTASSIUM LOW POTASSIUM
  • Stomach Cramps
  • Intestinal Cramps
  • Weakness Nausea
  • Generalized Fatigue
  • Paralysis
  • Palpitations
  • Numbness
  • Burning / tingling
  • Slow pulse
  • Mental Confusion
  • Tiredness
  • Nausea
  • EKG changes
  • Irregular heartbeat
  • Sudden death
  • Cramping muscles
  • Muscle weakness
  • Fatigue
  • Confusion
  • Coordination difficulties
  • Irregular heartbeat
  • Heart failure

Other alkalizers are:

Stones, Bones, and PKD

Citrate salts are very useful PKD alkalizers. These salts neutralize the body's acids, particularly acids produced by a cystic kidney. Potassium and sodium citrate are equally effective; calcium and magnesium citrate less so. In the Tanners' alkaline trials with the PKD model, citrate salts were found to be beneficial. The group given potassium citrate had smaller cystic kidneys, developed smaller cysts, and lived longer lives without kidney shut down. When the PKD models given potassium citrate were compared to their normal counterparts (without any evidence of PKD), those give potassium citrate with PKD lived twice as long as those without PKD and without being given potassium citrate. Amazing, truly amazing.

The Tanners did not stop there.
Encouraged by their results, they tried further investigations to see if this was due to potassium citrate or was some other mechanism in play? The results were clear. Potassium helped. Citrate helped. But alkalinity was the key factor in preventing cystic kidneys from filling with fluid filled cysts and leading eventually to diminished kidney functioning. Their research showed a profound truth. Alkalinity begun early in life improved the chances for preventing massive enlargement of polycystic kidneys and thus prevented kidney function decline.

PKD'rs took off with this information. A few have tried doctor prescribed potassium citrate, others have tried an alkaline diet; others have continued eating meat and supplementing with potassium citrate to maintain alkalinity. For frequent yeast infections, some urologists have chosen potassium citrate as a treatment.

Shohl's solution or potassium citrate is an age old remedy for kidney stones (seen more frequently in PKD). Some physicians use potassium citrate in lieu of potassium chloride. Others have found potassium citrate lowers blood pressure; increases bone density; minimizes protein in the urine; decreases bruising; limits aches and pains; dwindles recurrent infections; increases energy, and a select few actually have seen increases in kidney and liver functioning as they age, unheard of in cystic organ disease. In general terms we feel much much better.

How Kidney Stones Are Created

With citrate salts, the citrate molecule flies off and is utilized by the kidney for energy. An alkaline diet alone can achieve alkalinity. For some, supplementation with Potassium Citrate may be required to regulate a state of near constant alkalinity. Potassium Citrate supplements requires a physician's input to carefully monitor subtle changes in serum potassium levels. Without this precaution, potassium levels can become dangerously high, and even life-threatening. Perhaps someday, individuals with PKD will be able to self-monitor their potassium levels much like diabetics monitor blood sugar. Get a physician's expertise help and familiarize yourself with high potassium symptoms and low potassium symptoms. If you do not feel well, go immediately to the emergency room or urgent care center and get your potassium level checked. Should you require potassium supplementation such as potassium chloride, ask your physician if you can switch to potassium citrate.

With sodium bicarbonate or baking soda, in PKD, the calcium is loose in the body. It quickly unites with the bicarbonate ion of sodium bicarbonate and this forms the most common kidney stone of all with PKD, a calcium bicarbonate stone. Oxalates assist in this process.

Does Diet Help?

Yes indeed, diet helps to maintain alkalinity. This can help create longevity, a life long experience without aging diseases. PKD'rs normally have an acidic urinary pH. This can result in elevations of uric acid, elevations of absorption of oxalates, an increase in kidney stone formation which can lead to a decrease in kidney functioning. If one can maintain an alkaline diet this is key to maintaining ones health.

Support for Less Salt, More Potassium 2013

The idea that reducing salt intake -- and increasing potassium intake -- can lower blood pressure and improve disease outcomes has received additional support from three systematic reviews.

Diet vs Alkalizers in Chronic Kidney Disease 2013

Conclusion:
One year of fruits and vegetables or alkalizers in individuals with stage 4 CKD yielded a GFR that was not different, was associated with lower-than-baseline urine indices of kidney injury. The data indicates that eating fruits and vegetables improves metabolic acidosis and reduces kidney injury in stage 4 CKD without producing hyperkalemia.

Saving Failing Kidneys

This is a very interesting Malaysian newspaper article. From this article one can learn that for most of the citizens of Malaysia there are very few treatment alternatives to save their their failing kidneys and according to this article, dietary changes is good place for one to start. Those who can make the switch to all vegetarian proteins seem to have a much easier time with maintaining their health.

Anything Else To Do To Raise GFR?

Yes, in addition to diet and lifestyle changes—there are indeed other things that will help you lower kidney functioning or keep that transplant.

Check urinary pH at night time.
Monitor your own blood pressure in the morning when it is highest.
Drink 4 liters of water per day.
Check your urine for protein spillage.

An Aside—PKDiet Bridge

This depiction of the Mathematical Bridge connects the older half of the college [affectionately referred to by students as The Dark Side] with the newer half [The Light Side], and is one of the most photographed scenes in Cambridge (a typical photo is taken from the nearby Silver Street bridge).

According to popular fable, the bridge was originally designed and built by Sir Isaac Newton without the use of nuts or bolts, and at some point in the past, students or fellows (depending on which fable version you hear) attempted to take the bridge apart and put it back together. The myth continues that the over-ambitious engineers were unable to match Newton's feat of engineering, and had to resort to fastening the bridge by nuts and bolts. This is why nuts and bolts can presently be seen in the bridge.

This story is of course, untrue: the bridge was built in 1749 by James Essex the Younger (1722-1784) to the design of William Etheridge (1709-1776), 22 years after Newton died. It was later rebuilt in 1866 and 1905, albeit to the same design. 1642 marked the death of Galileo and the birth of Sir Isaac Newton. Isaac Newton was born in Woolsthorpe, England on Christmas day. The above picture is an artist's rendition of what the Mathematical Bridge may have looked like prior to this. There remains to this day some strong controversy surrounding this story of the mathematical bridge.

We are  sharing our experiences with PKD/PLD Diet, an adjunct diet envisioning it complementing a physician's prescribed medical therapy. Consider testing this with your doctor's prior knowledge, who can  adjust it according to your own uniqueness by adding it to your current  treatment.

Medical Disclaimer