Low Protein Intake Linked to Kidney Failure Risk
A study of Korean patients with chronic kidney disease links very low daily protein intake to higher rates of kidney failure and death.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Nutrition
A JAMA Network Open study published October 22 links the lowest daily protein intake group to higher risk of kidney failure requiring replacement therapy and all-cause mortality among patients with chronic kidney disease. The findings were presented to coincide with Kidney Week, the annual meeting of the American Society of Nephrology, held October 21 to 25 in Denver.
Why it matters
Dietary protein restriction is commonly recommended for kidney disease, so evidence that excessively low intake may raise risk is relevant to patient care. The authors suggest excessive restriction may cause protein energy wasting and sarcopenia, conditions to which populations with lower body mass index and muscle reserves may be especially vulnerable.
The study followed 1,861 Korean patients across CKD stages 1 to predialysis 5, with the lowest intake group showing a 1.42 subdistribution hazard ratio for kidney failure and 2.17 for all-cause mortality versus the highest group. No increased major adverse cardiovascular event risk was observed in the lowest intake group, but whether the findings generalize beyond this cohort remains unestablished.
The players
American Society of Nephrology
The American Society of Nephrology is a professional medical organization of kidney specialists that hosts the annual Kidney Week meeting.
JAMA Network Open
JAMA Network Open is an open-access, peer-reviewed medical journal published by the American Medical Association.
The details
Researchers in the prospective cohort compared participants eating less than 0.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily with those eating more than 1.2 grams. A nonlinear association was observed between excessively low protein intake and increased kidney failure risk.
Timeline
October 21 to 25, 2025: Kidney Week annual meeting held in Denver.
October 22, 2025: Study published online in JAMA Network Open.
Health Landscape
The Korean Cohort Study for Outcomes in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease is the data source here, and its findings add to a long-running debate over how much protein CKD patients should eat. The result challenges the assumption that stricter protein restriction is always safer for kidney patients.
Patients with chronic kidney disease should not reduce protein intake without medical guidance, since excessively low intake was associated with worse outcomes in this study. Dietary changes for kidney disease should be discussed with a nephrologist or dietitian.
The takeaway
Very low protein intake may carry risks for CKD patients, so restriction should be individualized with a clinician. Patients should avoid self-directed diet cuts intended to protect their kidneys.
Further reading
Explore more in Nutrition for context on how diet shapes kidney health.
