Slowing the Progression
If you are a young adult with PKD
You may be able to extend the life of your kidneys by 15 to 20 years.
Watch our ambassadors and experts discuss ways to slow the progression
If you have Polycystic Kidney Disease, you may have been told there is nothing to do but get on a donor list. But you don’t need to wait for kidney failure. There are ways you can prolong the health of your kidneys and slow the progression of the disease, so you can delay or avoid kidney failure.
Learn more about slowing the progression of the disease and prolonging the health of your kidneys.
Talk to a nephrologist and renal dietitian that specialize in PKD about these measures and more ways to preserve your kidneys’ health and function.
If you are not sure your doctors are truly PKD specialists, please email us at helpingfamilies@pkdo.org.
The information presented here does not constitute medical advice. Please consult your healthcare professional before changing your diet or taking supplements or medication.
You may already know about staying hydrated and following a low-sodium diet. There are also medications, nutritional interventions, and lifestyle changes you can use to slow the progression of PKD. This includes limiting sugar and oxalates, following a ketogenic diet, choosing the right pain medication and even taking FDA-approved medication including Tolvaptan.
If you have PKD
There is more you can do to slow the progression of the disease and prolong the health of your kidneys.
Talk to your nephrologist about the following measures to slow the progression of kidney cysts:
Medication
Tolvaptan (brand name Jynarque®) is an FDA-approved treatment to help slow the progression of ADPKD.
Nutrition
Limit Sugar. Kidney cysts love sugar. Avoid added sugar in foods like sodas and pastries. Avoid high fructose corn syrup and artificial sweeteners. A natural sweetener like stevia or monk fruit can be a healthier option.
Ketogenic diet with plant-based focus. A low-carb diet, otherwise known as ketogenic metabolic therapy, may help slow the growth of cysts. Swapping a few meals of animal proteins with plant-based proteins can also help lower the risk of crystals and kidney stones.
Reduce oxalates. Oxalates are kidney stressors found in certain plant foods. Examples of foods that are high in oxalates include almonds, spinach, beets, and chocolate. It may help to limit these in your diet.
Medical Food. KetoCitra® is a non-prescription, FDA-approved medical food to help individuals with ADPKD. It can be used for dietary management just by adding it to a glass of water.
Lifestyle
Hydration helps. Drinking water throughout the day decreases the secretion of ADH (also known as vasopressin), the hormone that tells cysts to grow. Up to 96 ounces is recommended for most people, depending on their stage of kidney disease.
Pain relief the right way. Certain over the counter pain medications should be avoided as they can put added stress on the kidneys. These include Advil®, Aleve®, and Motrin®.
Helpful resources
pkDO is grateful to Dr. Thomas Weimbs, Dr. Torres, Dr. Jenna Henderson and Diana Bruen MS, RD for this information.
Dr. Thomas Weimbs, PhD
Santa Barbara Nutrients
“What we found in the research lab is that dietary interventions such as ketogenic diets are probably the most potent form of treatment for polycystic kidney disease. Recent results show that PKD is a metabolic disease. The cells in the kidney that forms these cysts are dependent on blood sugar. So if you switch the metabolism away from carbohydrates and more towards fat and ketones, all of the cells in our body can deal with this, but the cells that form these kidney cysts seem to be unable to deal with that.”
Dr. Jacob Torres, PhD
Santa Barbara Nutrients
“We had done some experiments with caloric restriction in mice and found that it was able to slow PKD progression. And another laboratory was getting the same results, so together we thought a ketogenic diet might be an effective intervention as well. And all of this led to reductions in the cystic area, one of the hallmarks of PKD. This model was a good indicator that a ketogenic diet or states of ketosis are good at ameliorating the disease. We did this with young and adult animals and in adult animals it actually kind of reversed some of the signs of PKD.”
Diana Bruen MS, RD
PKD Academy
“Your nutrition totally affects your progression of PKD. My core pillars are to slash your sodium, focus on fluid, and then plan for your protein by adding more plant protein. This all helps to support kidney health and also slows down the pathways that drive cyst growth.
I like to focus on what this does for you. Part of supporting your kidney health is also supporting your heart health and your waistline and all these other aspects.”
Dr. Jenna Henderson
Holistic Kidney
“Nobody wants to go on dialysis so I'm there to help my patients reach that goal. I try to give people some kidney friendly options. Green tea is very kidney friendly. Grapes, especially dark grapes, are high in resveratrol and that’s kidney friendly. Cauliflower, berries cherries, are good. They’re low in potassium, so if my patients are in a late stage, they have to limit potassium. It's good to have these options.”
PKD Centers of Excellence
Talk to a nephrologist and renal dietitian that specialize in PKD about these measures and more ways to preserve your kidneys’ health and function.
If you are not sure your doctors are truly PKD specialists, please email us at helpingfamilies@pkdo.org.
The information presented here does not constitute medical advice. Please always consult your healthcare professional before changing your diet or taking supplements or medication.
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