Dietary Acid Load and Potassium Intake
Health Consequences of High Dietary Acid Load
- Excess dietary protein from foods with high potential renal acid load leads to increased urinary calcium excretion, which may contribute to osteoporosis over time, as calcium is leached from bones to buffer the acid, according to the American Heart Association 1, 2
- A very high-protein diet is particularly risky for patients with diabetes, as it can accelerate diabetic kidney disease progression, as recommended by the American Heart Association 2
Clinical Implications
- Limiting high-protein diets to reasonable levels (approximately 15% of total calories) helps prevent excessive acid load, as recommended by the American Heart Association 3
- A diet high in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains not only provides potassium but also other minerals like magnesium and calcium that support bone health, according to the American Heart Association 2, 4
- The American Heart Association recommends that protein intake should be proportional (approximately 15% of calories) to carbohydrate (approximately 55% of calories) and fat (approximately 30% of calories) intake 3