What might be a nutritional consequence of high protein intake in patients with severe renal disease?

High protein intake in patients with severe renal disease can lead to increased nitrogenous waste accumulation. The kidneys are responsible for filtering out waste products from protein metabolism, including urea and creatinine, from the bloodstream and excreting them in the urine. In individuals with compromised kidney function, the ability to eliminate these waste products is impaired.

When patients consume a diet high in protein, the body metabolizes the protein, producing larger amounts of nitrogenous waste. In severe renal disease, the kidneys struggle to keep up with this increased load, leading to elevated levels of nitrogenous waste substances in the blood. This can result in further complications, including uremia, which occurs when waste products accumulate to toxic levels, affecting multiple systems in the body.

Conversely, options such as decreased creatinine levels, improved kidney filtration rates, and enhanced metabolic rates do not accurately reflect the consequences of high protein intake in the context of severe renal disease. Instead, they represent scenarios that would not occur in individuals with reduced kidney function when they consume high levels of protein.