We all know that a high-fat diet can lead to obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and more. However, the latest research has found that a high-fat diet also affects the kidneys.
Studies have found that a high-fat diet not only exacerbates existing kidney damage in patients with kidney disease but can also damage the kidneys of healthy individuals.
When rats were fed a high-fat diet composed of 4% cholesterol and 1% sodium cholate, a significant increase in urinary protein and elevated blood lipids were observed within 8 weeks, confirming that a high-fat diet can cause damage to healthy kidneys. The research suggests that the possible mechanism for kidney damage caused by a high-fat diet is related to nitric oxide, which reacts with superoxide ions in kidney tissue to form peroxynitrite. This substance is toxic to kidney cells, leading to apoptosis.
The increase in nitric oxide is associated with proteinuria. The upregulation of nitric oxide synthase expression and the increase in nitric oxide may lead to glomerulosclerosis and tubulointerstitial kidney damage through apoptosis.
Therefore, patients with kidney damage must undergo lipid-lowering treatment when they have hyperlipidemia, and they must also control their diet, adjusting it according to the cause of their kidney damage. Kidney disease patients should try to maintain a light diet and consume less high-fat food, as this has a protective effect in delaying kidney damage.