Protien Bar question

[Pam]

The dietitian says I have to eat a protein bar half way through dialysis. She said don't worry about chocolate or nuts, not enough to be concerned. So by reading labels i found these at Wal Mart

Pure Protein Bars
Chewy Chocolate Chip
carbs  18 g
protein 18 g
potassium  40mg
phosphorus  6%     What does the 6% mean, as far as how much?
 :THC;
Pam

[Restorer]

The RDA for phosphorus is 1000 mg, so 6% would be 60 mg of phosphorus. Relatively good for a protein bar.

Why does she want you to eat it halfway through dialysis? Is it for blood sugar? My first thought was that it was so that any potassium or phosphorus you eat gets dialyzed out, but potassium doesn't seem to be a problem at all with that bar, and phosphorus (AFAIK) takes several hours to completely absorb, longer than dialysis. If it were for phosphorus, it would make more sense to eat it at the beginning of dialysis.

[dwcrawford]

I think that with low protein comes lower phos....I'm sure the 6% would be fine since she's not concerned about the  chocolate or nuts.  My "assignment" was eating chocolate, ice cream, cokes and lots of meat.  I bet it will change with tomorrows labs.  Maybe I should go to Marble Slab right now....

[Pam]

My protein is still too low. Everything else is at the correct level. She told me she went to a meeting and they are now saying that dialysis removes 25% protein. I've only been at this for 7 weeks so I've got tons to learn. The protein thing is the worst. I'm only 5' and my dry weight is 52. I just can't eat all this much food. And so far nothing is bothering my BS
Pam

[Zach]

She told me she went to a meeting and they are now saying that dialysis removes 25% protein

Actually, protein is poorly removed by hemodialysis because of it's large molecular weight (66,400 daltons for albumin).  But amino acids --the building blocks of protein-- in some cases are lost during dialysis and therefore supplementation is necessary.

Here's some more info on the protein needs for people on hemodialysis:
http://www.aakp.org/aakp-library/balancing-protein-in-the-renal-diet/


Over the years some studies have suggested that oral nutritional supplementation (protein) during or directly after hemodialysis is beneficial:

http://www.nature.com/ki/journal/v62/n3/full/4493196a.html

http://www.jrnjournal.org/article/S1051-2276(09)00041-7/abstract