Researchers have discovered that a low-salt, fasting-mimicking diet (FMD) may slow kidney deterioration in patients with stage 3 chronic kidney disease, with supporting evidence from animal studies. A recent study included 13 participants who followed the diet over three months and found significant improvements in kidney function and inflammation markers. Animal models on the diet showed reduced kidney damage and slowed deterioration of kidney function.
The FMD is a plant-based diet that aims to mimic the effects of fasting while still allowing some food intake. The researchers also tested a variation of the FMD called the low-salt, fasting-mimicking diet (LS-FMD) in rats with nephropathy, a kidney disease caused by a kidney-damaging drug called puromycin. Scientists often use this rat model to understand kidney diseases and test new treatments, as it mimics some of the damage seen in real-life kidney problems.
The team tracked various health markers throughout the study and up to a year after it ended. They looked at everything from body composition and kidney function to inflammation levels and cognitive performance. They even measured regeneration markers by looking at stem cells in the blood.
People on the diet showed better kidney function, less protein in their urine (a sign of kidney health), and reduced inflammation. The researchers also found that following six cycles of the LS-FMD improved glomerular function and promoted signs of podocyte (specialized kidney cells.