Impact of chronic renal failure on nitrogen metabolism.

Evidence indicates that both nephrotic and nonnephrotic chronic renal failure (CRF) patients can activate normal compensatory responses when dietary protein intake is restricted and that their protein and energy requirements are similar to normal subjects. When properly implemented, low-protein diets are safe and the benefits include the amelioration of uremic symptoms and some of their metabolic complications and possibly a reduction in the rate of progression of renal failure. To ensure dietary adequacy and compliance, patients should be monitored when treated with low-protein diets. Recent evidence that the protein intake of patients with progressive CRF declines when they consume unrestricted diets should not be considered as an argument against the use of low-protein diets. Rather, it is a persuasive argument in favor of restricting dietary protein intake to minimize the complications of renal failure.