Kidney problems and high protein intake page

[ToriStewart]

I'm looking for more information about high protein intake and kidney function. We are a high protein, no refined foods, no sugar, raw honey sparingly, raw dairy only (and only when we can get it) type of diet for a few years now. I've had 4 kids in 4 years and in the (um... few?) months between pregnancies I bounce back fabulously with pre-pregnancy tone. I know we're nutritionally doing something right, because I am not a gym rat. I'm 22 weeks along with #5 and shoot for 80-100g of protein a day for healthy baby building, however I'm running into a problem. It seems my kidneys are having an issue lately and when looking for kidney friendly foods, animal protein is one that is supposedly difficult to process for kidneys. This seems to coincide with pains and eating patterns. The more protein I eat, the more kidney pain I have. If I slack off to no meat and almost fasting (because of the pain) it goes away. Load up on meat, it comes back. This is devistating news to me, because I have always needed meat to feel full. Red meat, mostly. Anything else and I'm starving within an hour. Any thoughts would be welcome. I should also say that we don't go to dr's. We make every effort to solve health problems with nutrition, herbs, essential oils and homeopathy. This just has me stumped. Thanks in advance.

[peril]

No expert, but 5 pregnancies in 5 years is too many to permit replenishment of minerals. This is a major theme of Cate Shanahan's Deep Nutrition and a minor theme of Weston Price's Nutrition and Physical Degeneration. Mineral depletion may have led to your current problem

[PureFunctionalFitness]

I would seriously doubt that 80-100g of protein a day would have a detrimental effect on your kidneys, that is not a high protein intake by any means.

You should go to your doctor, get some tests done rather than guessing what the problem might be. You cut down the meat and fast, so what is improving the symptoms, the fasting or the lack of meat, who knows?

You may have a kidney issue that is being exacerbated by your macro intakes and/or eating routines, but you need to find out what that is rather than second guessing.

No-one here is going to be able to tell you, you need to get some blood work done

[ToriStewart]

Thanks for the input.

I can guarantee it's not mineral depletion. And I can almost guarantee that I'm absorbing and replenishing well. I am getting stellar prenatal care, including all labs needed, from midwives and my labs have always been perfect. As you said, Peril, you're not an expert, so I'll leave lab interpretations and how my body copes with pregnancy to those that are. I'm going to look at the fact that my hair, nails, vitals, blood levels, etc are great. No stretch marks. Teeth have actually shown signs of remineralization since I started eating this way 4 years ago. I'm going to look at all that and say that I'm doing fine micro/macro nutrient wise. If you're consuming all the appropriate nutrients, your body doesn't use deep reserves to build a baby. It uses what you feed it, first.

I had labs run a few weeks ago and my midwife is running liver and kidney panels as well as CBC and sodium/potassium levels next week. My question wasn't about that. My question was about whether or not large quantities of meat are hard on the kidneys. And to say 80-100g of protein isn't a lot is an over generalized statement. Am I 4'10"? Am I 5'7"? Am I a body builder? Am I normally 100 or 150lbs? Everyone's nutritional needs and what their body will consider "too much" will vary. So, let me rephrase the question. Depending on the individual's needs, can too much animal protein be hard on the kidneys? Is there a protein that is easier for the kidneys to process?

Thanks again!