PKD Life - Summer 2022 - 6

EATING WELL
Eating for
Both PKD and
Diabetes
Diets for these conditions
mostly overlap, but there
are a few key conflicts.
By Jessica Brown
P lanning meals and snacks requires extra effort
when you have PKD. But if you have both PKD and
diabetes, the process can be even more challenging.
While a PKD diet and a diabetes diet overlap in
many ways, the recommendations for each do
conflict sometimes.
This can create a lot of confusion for people who need
to control both conditions, says Shima Fazelimanesh,
R.D., a nephrology and organ transplant dietitian
based in Los Angeles. " Most of the clashes involve the
advice for protein and carbohydrate consumption, "
she explains. " It's important to work with a dietitian
because people who have PKD and diabetes need
education to make the healthiest choices. "
THE PKD-DIABETES CONNECTION
Normally, having PKD doesn't make a person more
likely to develop diabetes (and vice versa), but that
may not be the case for those undergoing a kidney
transplant. A study in the journal Transplantation
found that 6.5% of people with autosomal dominant
PKD (ADPKD) who received
a transplant developed newonset
diabetes after surgery.
An additional 11% developed
impaired glucose tolerance
(prediabetes).
While more research is
needed to confirm the link,
Fazelimanesh says the risk
is real. " We're not sure why
it exists, though in some
patients it may be due to
side effects of the drugs
they need to take to prevent
organ rejection, " she says.
" These can interfere with the
pancreas' ability to produce
enough insulin to manage
carbohydrate and glucose
intake properly. "
6 PKD LIFE * SUMMER 2022
PKD Life - Summer 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of PKD Life - Summer 2022
