Personalized Nutrition in Chronic Kidney Disease

Abstract

A personalized approach to nutrition in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) represents a promising paradigm shift in disease management, moving beyond traditional one-size-fits-all dietary recommendations. Patients with CKD often have other comorbidities and face unique nutritional challenges, including protein-energy wasting (PEW), sarcopenia, and impaired renal excretion of nutrients, which complicate dietary planning. Current guidelines focus primarily on nutrient restrictions—such as limiting protein, sodium, potassium, and phosphorus. However, these generalized recommendations often result in suboptimal adherence and outcomes. Personalized nutrition, which adapts dietary recommendations to individual characteristics, such as genotype, phenotype, and socio-cultural preferences, has gained traction across various chronic diseases. However, its application in nephrology remains underexplored, and despite promising results from studies such as Food4Me, questions remain about the real-world impact of such strategies. The aims of this review are (1) to summarize the evidence on the current state of nutritional recommendations in CKD, (2) to discuss the emerging role of multi-omics approaches in informing personalized nutrition advice in CKD, and (3) to provide an opinion on nutritional challenges faced by patients with CKD and the importance of collaboration with the renal dietician. We conclude that despite barriers, such as the cost and data integration, personalized nutrition holds the potential to improve CKD outcomes, enhance quality of life, and empower patients through tailored dietary strategies for better disease management.