I went to a session yesterday about acid load and diet in chronic kidney disease.  Don Wesson from Baylor talked about a strange phenomenon seen in laboratory animals and human beings too in which an apparent acid load builds up in early-stage kidney disease without affecting the bicarbonate or being otherwise detectable.  This load, while not clinically detectable, may have clinically relevant impact as correcting it seems to be able to delay the onset of chronic kidney disease at least in animals and perhaps in humans as well. I, for one, would love more data suggesting that telling people to eat some baking soda or consume a diet with a lower acid load would delay progression of chronic kidney disease. Seems a lot easier then hemodialysis.

Post by Dr. Dena Rifkin, Feature Editor for AJKD’s In a Few Words.

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