Is Losing Weight Worth Losing Your Kidney: Keto Diet Resulting in Renal Failure

Girma M Ayele; Rediet Tefera Atalay; Ruth T Mamo; Siham Hussien; Beimnet Nigussie; Abel Fissha; Miriam B Michael

doi:10.7759/cureus.36546

Is Losing Weight Worth Losing Your Kidney: Keto Diet Resulting in Renal Failure

Cureus. 2023 Mar 22;15(3):e36546. doi: 10.7759/cureus.36546. eCollection 2023 Mar.

Authors

Girma M Ayele¹, Rediet Tefera Atalay¹, Ruth T Mamo², Siham Hussien³, Beimnet Nigussie⁴, Abel Fissha⁵, Miriam B Michael^{1

6}

Affiliations

¹ Internal Medicine, Howard University Hospital, Washington D.C., USA.
² General Medicine, Nordic Medical Center, Addis Ababa, ETH.
³ Internal Medicine, University of Maryland Midtown Campus, Baltimore, USA.
⁴ Pathology, Wolkite University, Wolkite, ETH.
⁵ Internal Medicine, International Cardiovascular and Medical Center (iCMC) Hospital, Addis Ababa, ETH.
⁶ Internal Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, USA.

Abstract

Keto diet is defined as a high-fat, adequate-protein, and low-carbohydrate nutrition which forces the body to burn fats and use an alternative metabolic fuel resource by stimulating endogenous ketone production. The standard range of ketones in ketosis is up to 3.00mmol/L, and anything beyond this level can result in serious medical conditions. This diet's most common and easily reversible consequences are constipation, low-grade acidosis, hypoglycemia, kidney stones, and increased lipid in the blood. We present a case of a 36-year-old female who presented with pre-renal azotemia after starting a keto diet regimen.

Keywords: keto diet; keto diet and acute kidney injury; ketogenic diet; low carbohydrate diet; renal failure; weight loss.

Publication types

Case Reports