Post-AKI Nutritional Recovery: Preventing Sarcopenia and Slowing AKI-to-CKD Transition

Shu-Tzu Chen Speaker Post-AKI Nutritional Recovery: Preventing Sarcopenia and Slowing AKI-to-CKD TransitionIt is a misconception that patients recovering from acute kidney injury should avoid a high-protein diet that may increase the risk of sarcopenia. However, this concept is not supported by current evidence. Adequate protein intake helps preserve lean body mass by reducing muscle protein breakdown, but high protein intake alone does not stimulate muscle hypertrophy. Excessive protein consumption may only increase nitrogenous waste production and impose an unnecessary metabolic burden on the recovering kidneys. The most effective strategy for increasing muscle mass is resistance exercise combined with appropriate nutritional supplement. Carbohydrate intake before exercise helps reduce muscle protein breakdown, while adequate carbohydrate with a small amount of protein after exercise effectively stimulates muscle protein synthesis and promotes muscle growth. This lecture will review the physiological mechanisms underlying skeletal muscle hypertrophy and discuss evidence-based exercise and nutritional strategies for the prevention and treatment of sarcopenia in patients with kidney disease, with particular emphasis on those recovering from acute kidney injury. 若需中文摘要 如下 急性腎損傷恢復期的病人不適合攝取高蛋白質飲食可能導致肌少症發生是錯誤的觀念，因為增加蛋白質攝取才能增加肌肉量避免肌少症發生並不正確。足夠的蛋白質可避免肌肉分解，但不會增加肌肉量。增加肌肉量不需要大量的蛋白質，過多的蛋白質只會產生較多的含氮廢物增加腎臟負擔。增加肌肉量需要阻力運動與運動前、後正確的營養補充;運動前補充糖類可避免肌肉耗損，運動後補充足夠的糖與少量蛋白質就能有效增加肌肉量。本次演講內容以增加肌肉組成的生理機制為基礎，重點說明預防或治療腎臟病人肌少症的運動營養補充策略。Panel Discussion: From ICU to Community – Building a Renal Nutrition Care ContinuumPatients with acute kidney injury (AKI), especially those requiring intensive care and kidney replacement therapy, are at high risk of malnutrition, muscle wasting, and functional decline. However, nutritional care is often fragmented during the transition from acute illness to recovery and long-term kidney care. This panel will discuss strategies to establish a continuum of renal nutrition care from ICU to community, including individualized nutrition support during AKI, protein and energy management , post-AKI nutritional recovery , and multidisciplinary approaches to improve long-term outcomes and quality of life.