Kidney Korner: Proteinuria

Protein is a common topic when it comes to kidneys. Tracking protein intake can become more important as you progress through Chronic Kidney Disease and enter End Stage Renal Disease. 

What is protein and proteinuria?
Protein is a macronutrient, or a food nutrient group that we need in larger amounts. Protein is found throughout the body and powers many of the chemical reactions that we need to survive. Proteinuria is simply the presence of protein in the urine.

High Protein Foods
Animal-based: Poultry, fish, beef, pork, eggs, dairy products
Plant-based: beans, lentils, broccoli, chickpeas, nuts/seeds, spinach, soy products/tofu, etc.

How Dr. Munjal Helps:
Dr. Munjal can order a urinalysis and protein urine studies to determine how much protein is spilling through. From there, he can begin to determine the root cause of the problem and decline in kidney function. Recommendations and changes can be made and progress will be reviewed after repeat testing. 

Munjal’s Musings
Think of your kidneys as a coffee filter. It has two jobs: let the coffee through and keep the grounds in. Similarly, kidneys want to get rid of waste, but keep the good things in. We check protein levels in the urine.  Protein particles are large and should not be spilling through the filter. High protein levels in the urine are indicative of kidney damage.


If you have concerns regarding protein or recent urine studies, please do not hesitate to reach out to your care team for guidance. As always, stay safe and healthy. For additional information on the kidneys and their filtration function, please refer back to our previous post, Kidney Korner: Filtering Blood here. 

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