Nutritional deficiencies pass on from parents to children, study finds

There are many diets to choose from, and it turns out that one with low protein carries risks for generations to come. Mice parents with low-protein diets were studied by Tulane University. Their offspring had lower nephron counts, birth weight and smaller kidneys, which are markers for hypertension and kidney disease. Nephrons are blood vessels responsible for filtering the kidneys. The results imply that the effects of famine are transferred from parents to children, even if the offspring has a better diet.

“It’s like an avalanche,” said lead study author and Assistant Professor of Pediatric Nephrology at Tulane University School of Medicine Giovane Tortelote, “You would think that you can fix the diet in the first generation so the problem stops there, but even if they have a good diet, the next generations — grandchildren, great grandchildren, great-great grandchildren — they may still be born with lower birth weight and low nephron count despite never facing starvation or a low-protein diet.”

And while the study merely scratches the surface of how the data translates to humans, it gives scientists a deeper perspective in the field of epigenetics, a branch of science that studies how environmental factors affect biology. 

Additional research is necessary to find out when proper kidney development returns, and why the genetic trait affects the offspring, Tortelote said.

WebMD says one needs to consume at least 10% of their calories from protein. It doesn’t have to be meat, beans count.

Meanwhile, the National Kidney Foundation recommends a low-protein diet for people with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). Too much protein is difficult for the kidneys to process.

References:
https://news.tulane.edu/pr/study-poor-parental-diet-linked-multi-generational-health-risks
https://www.webmd.com/diet/ss/slideshow-not-enough-protein-signs
https://www.kidney.org/sites/default/files/low_protein_diet_and_ckd.pdf