A diet rich in alkali-producing vegetables and fruits outperformed standard baking soda therapy in chronic kidney disease, reducing hospitalizations and transitions to dialysis over ten years of follow-up, infohub.kz reports.
Eating alkali-rich vegetables and fruits helps improve clinical outcomes in people with metabolic acidosis linked to stage 3 chronic kidney disease (CKD) more effectively than standard therapy, scientists concluded after a long-term, ten-year randomized clinical trial. The findings were presented at the specialized ASN Kidney Week 2026 conference, organized by the American Society of Nephrology (ASN).
When the kidneys are damaged, the body often accumulates excessive acid. Oral sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) has traditionally been the standard way to counter metabolic acidosis. The study enrolled 108 adults with stage 3 CKD, divided into three equal groups of 36: the first halved the body's acid load through fruits and vegetables, the second took a sodium bicarbonate solution at an equivalent dose, and the third received basic standard medical care. Participants' health was monitored annually for ten years.
The trial results showed a substantial difference in long-term health outcomes. Over the follow-up period, patients recorded 115 hospitalizations, 166 emergency department visits, and 34 participants required hemodialysis. The plant-diet group's figures were several times better than those of patients receiving usual care: just 14 hospitalizations versus 64, 20 emergency doctor visits versus 88, and only 4 cases of transition to dialysis versus 16. Baking soda therapy showed no notable difference from standard treatment.
The study's corresponding author, Dr. Nimrit Goraya of the Baylor Scott and White Health system, stressed that dietary correction delivers lasting clinical benefits without increasing costs for the healthcare system. The authors believe dietary interventions in CKD should be implemented not only individually but also at the population level to improve patients' quality of life.