Huel

[shortmat]

Has anybody here tried the protein shake Huel? I have stage 3 CKD (gfr 47 & potassium 5) & am thinking that I might use it to aid weight loss.

[Hidden]

A protein shake is absolutely the worst thing you could take with CKD. Protein is one of the things you should be limiting. On the subject of any supplement, you shouldn't take any of them without the approval of your Care Team. Along with watching protein, you should also be limiting sodium, potassium, phosphorus, and calcium.

[orangecity41 NKF Ambassador in reply to Hidden]

Agree completely. We have to be aware of all ingredients on food and supplements etc.

[luthien]

I'd be careful with protein shakes; I am healthy and used to have a protein shake a day (whey or pea protein) because I did lots of exercise - about 6 hours a week, intensive stuff. But when I went for my yearly blood tests they flagged up kidney problems - did some investigating; ultrasound and kidney blood tests - Doctor thought I had kidney disease early stage - so started to look into my diet / health problems etc only to find I was taking extra protein which my body couldn't process which caused fluctuations in my kidney results - false positives - luckily at the time we noticed and adjusted but I was warned having too many protein shakes can cause problems.

It's better to have more varied actual proteins in your diet rather than shakes which are usually one or two sources pre broken down which puts strain on our kidneys. Levels of protein are actually higher in fish so like tuna (not tinned!) and salmon than red meats.

I think for weight loss I have found it's about balance; reduce carbs or have complex carbs like sweet potatoes, brown rice, then add in more different proteins like a salmon fillet and boiled egg, there'll be essential fats in there too. There's less strain on our bodies from processed foods (pre broken down) and red meats (added hormones).

Hope you find something which works for you x

[shortmat in reply to luthien]

Thank you farahziya & Mr Kidney for your notes. Maybe I should have explained better : the shake is pretty low protein & I eat hardly any other protein, no meat, very little cheese, an odd egg & a little white fish. I get 400 kcals from the Huel shake per day & then eat a bowl of salad & a rice biscuit. I do not eat processed foods .That's about all. I cannot eat brown rice, sweet potatoes etc as I limit my potassium intake. Sometimes have a G & T or a dash of whisky! Huel is a meal replacement shake, perhaps I should not have called it a protein shake. My kidney damage goes along with high blood pressure which is controlled by taking 40 mg of Telmisartan; but I want to reduce my BMI , which is 35.6, hence the wish to lose weight. By the way Mr Kidney, what is a "Care Team" ? No such thing in the UK! When I asked the GP if I could be referred to the Hospital dietician to try to find my way around weight loss + low protein + low potassium diet he declined to refer me. That's why I am working things out for myself.

[luthien in reply to shortmat]

I would perhaps make a note of what you do eat in a food diary and perhaps have a private dietitian have a look, i think there's loads on line. Maybe look into what you could substitute to increase certain things you are lacking? good protein sources are essential, lacking in any vitamins and minerals can cause us to process food differently which could all lead to weight loss / gain. You probably know all that!

Huel does sound like a good idea for a meal replacement but I think it needs to be run through a doctor to check if it's okay for you specifically.

Maybe see if there's a kindle book on nutrition and diet for kidney disease - may be a bit general sorry, but you get what I mean! You could probably not the best idea lol! You probably need something specific to you. Note sure how to go about that though. I know a dietitian and nutritionist would develop meal plans, perhaps that's a route to go down? Again you'd need to some research to find ones that know about specific conditions, so not the general NHS ones.

xx

[Hidden in reply to shortmat]

A Care Team is a group of physicians and other medical professionals that you see for all of your health issues. For example, my Care Team consists of the following: my PCP, nephrologist, cardiologist, urologist, ophthalmologist, optometrist, podiatrist, pharmacist, dentist, and renal dietitian. Several of them will share information about my treatment and/or labs with each other. Those include my PCP, nephrologist, cardiologist, and urologist. The others will get hard copies from me and have input as needed. All of them are members of my Care Team because before putting them onto the team they agreed to give me their best medical advice and then abide by my decision and treat me according to my wishes, whatever that may be. If a physician refused a referral that I requested it would be my last contact with that doctor. It's my life, my health and therefore my choice.

I did blood and urine labs last week. My PCP does that lab work inside the clinic she works for. The blood labs were all where I expected but the urine labs were so far off the chart that the only sensible thing to do was to re-do the test again with a different sample. When I asked for that I was told to see my nephrologist for an explanation. That is unacceptable. I contacted the nephrologist and he immediately told me to come in and have the tests done. I did and they came back in the normal range. I have a consult this week with a new doctor. If they agree to my terms they will be the new PCP on my Care Team.

Others may have a different way of working with their Care Team, but that's how I do it.

[shortmat in reply to Hidden]

You must be in the US. Your healthcare system is more sophisticated than the NHS in the UK.

[Hidden in reply to shortmat]

Understand some folks have coverage that only allows them to see doctors in their network. Something like that was okay when I was younger and didn't travel much. Now that I'm retired on what is known as Original Medicare it is under my control and as I said, it's my life and my choice. Do you not have the option of finding someone on your own without a physician's referral or is that too expensive?

[shortmat in reply to Hidden]

Under the National Health Service treatment is free, but basic, for everybody ie all ages . You have no choice as to which consultant you may see at the hospital , or even if it will be a doctor. For example , if I needed a hip replcement I would not be given a referral to an orthopaedic surgeon by my GP, I would first have to attend physiotherapy & have to convince the physiotherapist that I needed to see the surgeon. If we want to go private & pay we still require a referral from our NHS General Practitioner.

[Sammi_n_Munk in reply to Hidden]

Good for you, Mr_Kidney! This is how everyone should operate. If doctors are not following a proper code of ethics with regard to one’s medical care, then they shouldn’t be allotted payment from that person, or on that person’s behalf. Kudos Mr_Kidney! Amen. 😊👍👍

[Sammi_n_Munk in reply to shortmat]

Hi there, shortmat! Hope you don’t mind but, I researched Telmisartan online and found that it can cause high potassium levels, especially in those with kidney issues. If possible, perhaps you should ask your PCP if she / he can conduct a medication review, and maybe prescribe something that is a little more kidney-friendly for you.

Also, I noticed you mentioned gin and tonic, and sometimes whiskey. You want to be careful with alcohol intake, as a kidney patient. Alcoholic beverages can stress the kidneys, especially kidneys that are already in a weakened state.

A good kidney-kind diet should be lower in protein (some lean chicken, fish and eggs), low potassium veggies such as cucumbers, spring mix lettuce, red bell peppers, etc. For awesome advice on the right foods for kidney patients, go to DaVita.com. They also provide recipes for people in all stages of CKD. If you can lower your intake of foods and beverages that are high in sodium, potassium and phosphorus, you’ll do well enough to slow any progression of CKD.

Drink water daily to flush your system and try to remain hydrated always. This may also be helpful in improving your GFR. Stay away from anti-inflammatory pain relievers, prescribed, or over-the-counter brands, such as Advil, Motrin and Aleve. These are very rough on the kidneys. Try Tylenol for pain relief instead, as long as you don’t have an allergy to it, and your liver is working fine.

And a little cardio exercise daily is also beneficial (30 minutes or so, once or twice a day). No, or low amount of weight-lifting. This can raise blood creatinine levels by releasing protein into the bloodstream from the muscles.

I realize that these are somewhat difficult adjustments to make to one’s lifestyle, but many people who suffer with CKD, can actually live a long, full, and active life. It just takes some adapting to. I do wish you all the best, shortmat. Please do continue to keep us posted on your progress. God bless. 😊👍

[Calvin18 in reply to luthien]

That’s conflicting information then because my Dr tells me fish and chicken are the lowest in proteins and to avoid high consumption of red meats.

[shortmat in reply to Calvin18]

What is conflicting information? I did not mention eating any meats! I am vegetarian.

[Bassetmommer NKF Ambassador]

Hi Shortmat,

I went to the Huel site and found it to be confusing and not clear on disclosure of the products. I am sure you are going to do what you want anyways, but consider this.

Dieting to lose weight with a "product" is not going to work for the long haul. Anyone can lose weight short term. And substituting a product will enhance the speed and degree of the weight lose for SHORT term. If you goal is to lose weight, you need a sound and healthy diet that sustains your body and your mind. If you feel deprived, you will not survive a diet for long. The main reason why diets do not work is because most people return to their prior eating habits. And the weight will come back and then some.

You would do better to sign up for a food tracker and list the quantity of your foods you are consuming right now. Then you can see where your calories are coming from. And the worse is alcohol. Totally high calorie. Once you track your foods for a while, you might want to see a dietician who can help you plan for the long haul.

Two years ago, I saw my dietician. The first thing she said was I was not eating enough calories. For a large woman who had always been told the opposite, it was a shock. But the issue was I put my body into a state of "starvation" which meant that everything I ate stayed with me. In other words, my body was hording. So when she helped me to switch up with a renal diet that worked for my potassium, phosphorous and protein, AND calories... I lost weight with in six months. 38 pounds which has stayed off for the two years.

Losing weight and gaining it back is worse than holding a larger BMI.

[shortmat]

Thank you for your extensive comments.

I am not trying to "diet". I am simply working out a sensible eating plan; my fault for not explaining myself properly in my initial post. My daily calorie count allows for a treat, which is one evening tot of spirits = 200 cals!

Huel lists exactly the ingredients & nutritional details for all flavours of their products (am surprised you could not find the lists) & I am very aware of my daily limit for potassium etc, maybe I should have simply asked whether anybody here is including it in their routine & how they were finding it. It looks very useful to me as a meal replacement .

[luthien in reply to shortmat]

I've been interested in Huel for a while but a few friends have tried it and said it tastes awful. Perhaps see if you can do a trial of say a few weeks / month to see if you get on with it? Can you order just one or is it on subscription? I know most companies with some kind of powder shakes / meal replacements do have a sample bag, usually about 5 servings. Maybe do a week and see if you can have your levels checked if that's an option or maybe if it takes longer to show on blood results a month? Short term there's no harm in trying as a lot of people try lots of different things with health problems. If it is as strict diet as people are suggesting with no room for deviation we'd be given prescription diets like our pets!

[Bet117 NKF Ambassador]

Hi Shortmat,

A lot of knowledgeable and wonderful people here and wonderful responses.

I know that things are a bit different in the UK as one of my dearest friends lived there for 35 years until moving home to Ireland this past summer.

I know that seeing a consultant is out of the question unless you have severe symptoms or your protein spilling measures you as stage 3, which is where you are ; therefore a lot is left to your GP

As Mr. _ Kidney mentioned; if your GP is not meeting your needs or listening to you, it may be time to seek another. This is your health and needs in question.

As far as the Huel, I would meet with your GP and or Consultant regarding using this as a meal supplement before using any such products. The ingredients may present one picture but may be processed through your kidneys and in your body in another way.

Great that you are not eating processed foods and hopefully watching your salt intake.

There are other ways of getting needed protein into your diet such as Quorn, beans if your GP is okay with them eggs and a tad of fish or chicken. Also eating a good amount of fresh vegetables and fruit will also help you nutritionally and weight will come off naturally.

If your GP feels that you need a meal supplement, ask which they recommend. To add in products such as Huel without consent is not always a good idea.

I saw my friend through a serious period of being unwell with an autoimmune kidney disease. Both her GP and competent consultant

suggested foods to balance nutrition and did not allow meal supplements.

She is doing well at present and does have treats. Yes she has spirits on weekend evening.

Ask and let us know!

Bet

[shortmat]

Huel is not a supplement, it is a meal replacement. As I have said before my GP is not interested in managing my condition by dietary choices or any other way, he just says that it's due to age! When my potassium was at 5.6 last summer it was my own research that led me to cutting out all the usual high potassium foods , thereby getting the level down to 5. When I requested more frequent testing, ie at 6 monthly intervals instead of annually, it was verbally agreed, but not noted on my record & did not happen. I am interested to know how frequently most of you get bloods tested .

[lowraind in reply to shortmat]

Although my nephrologist has me on a once a year appointment, my PCP does give me a prescription for a blood draw every three months, when I request it. Now, with the corona virus, who knows when the next draw will be.

[Bassetmommer NKF Ambassador in reply to shortmat]

When first diagnosed, I was going every three months for labs and seeing her every four months, then six months. Now full lab panel is six months with follow up visit. I was supposed to go in April. But because of the virus, she wants me to wait until things are safe and see her in August, which will be a year. And only because I am stable. I have standing orders to go at anytime sooner if I feel it is necessary.

[WYOAnne NKF Ambassador]

My son-in-law used this for awhile. Look at the nutrition label...Huel has 50% of your potassium, 40% magnesium and 18% your sodium for the day. For anyone with CKD this can be very dangerous for your kidneys. It is "hyped" as a protein powder. You should be reducing the amount of protein you eat in a day, not increase it.

Please stay away from Huel.

[shortmat in reply to WYOAnne]

Yes thank you , I do know the constituents of Huel, & for me it represents a reduction in protein & I am able to calculate the minerals content in my context. It is not "very dangerous" for my kidneys.

In view of the negative responses I do not wish to discuss the matter further. Thank you & goodnight.

[Hidden]

Huel is 30% protein which is not low. It has sunflower seed protein in it -how much phosphorus does it have? There are a number of things to be concerned about.

I skip the pre-made stuff and keep it simple.

This exactly why be referred to a dietitian is important. It's too bad they don't do that in the UK.

[HealthBuddyMelissa]

I wouldn't go that route unless for some reason you can not chew. These shakes are going to be high in phosphorus which is a very difficult mineral to track. Opt for making your own smoothies with berries and veggies that are kidney friendly to aid in weight loss.

[shortmat]

In view of the negative responses I do not wish to discuss the matter further. Thank you & goodnight.