The role of dietary acid load on progression of estimated glomerular filtration rate among individuals diagnosed with chronic kidney disease

Introduction Individuals with CKD are at an increased risk for developing metabolic acidosis. Metabolic acidosis has been shown to worsen kidney function and exacerbate systemic inflammation. Diets high in protein foods can exacerbate metabolic acidosis as protein foods tend to be more acidic, while fruits and vegetables are more alkalotic. The main objective of this systematic review was to determine if higher consumption of fruits and vegetables in adults with CKD stages 1-5 reduces the rate of decline of eGFR. Methodology Searches of CINAHL (EBSCO), Cochrane Library (Wiley), Dissertation & Thesis Global (ProQuest), Embase (Elsevier), Medline (OVID), PubMed (NLM), Scopus (Elsevier), and Web of Sciences (Clarivate) identified 1,451 articles published between January 2015 and June 2023. Results After independent review, 7 total studies were included. Six of the studies found an association between DAL and progression of CKD. Conclusion Dietary counseling focusing on decreasing DAL may be beneficial for individuals with CKD.