“Finding protein in your urine is called proteinuria or microalbuminuria in medical terms. Once you have determined that you have this, start by asking your doctor to determine the diagnosis.”
Here is what to do about finding protein in urine and how to lower protein in urine. Finding protein in your urine is called proteinuria or microalbuminuria in medical terms. Once you have determined that you have this, start by asking your doctor to determine the diagnosis or the explanation for why protein is present in your urine. Most of the time protein in urine is a sign of kidney disease. Generally, the higher the amount of protein in urine, the worse the kidney disease can be. There are many different causes of kidney disease, and just about any of them can cause protein to be lost in the urine. The most common reasons to find protein in urine is kidney disease resulting from diabetes and hypertension. There were some ways previously reviewed about how to prevent kidney disease and reversing kidney disease after it occurs. There was also information previously published about the diagnosis of different types of kidney disease. To review additional causes of protein in urine, Mayo Clinic has a list available.
Diabetes and Protein in Urine
Diabetes mellitus is the most common cause of kidney disease. Take lifestyle measures to prevent, control or possibly even reverse diabetes by losing weight and strictly controlling blood glucose. Preventing diabetes or controlling blood glucose for those with diabetes is how to prevent kidney disease or prevent it from becoming worse. Controlling blood sugar in diabetes will retard progression of kidney disease.
The American Diabetic Association recommends that the way to find the presence of protein in urine if diabetic is to do an annual urine test. for microalbuminuria (small amounts of protein in urine). A small amount of microalbumin may mean an early sign of kidney disease if blood testing for kidney function is normal. Do not rely on your physician to screen you, but take the responsibilty yourself instead to remind your doctor. Take lifestyle measures and medication to treat diabetes as advised by your doctor. Strictly control blood glucose to reduce diabetic nephropathy rate of progression. Your doctor may use medications called angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE inhibitors) and angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARB’s) may prevent or in some cases, reverse rate of kidney disease progression (6). These medications also reduce proteinuria.
Hypertension and Protein in Urine
Hypertension is the most common cause of kidney disease and protein in urine after Diabetes mellitus. The key to preventing hypertension related complications is to diagnose hypertension early and treat it before it has been present long enough to cause chronic disease. Hypertension may be discovered years after it starts but treating hypertension even if found late has a lower chance of reversing kidney disease, but will prevent worsening of kidney disease.
Pycnogenol Added to ACE Inhibitors, a Type of Blood Pressure Medication
A natural treatment added to the ACE inhibitor ramipril improved blood pressure, kidney function, protein in urine, and blood glucose over ramipril alone. What are ACE inhibitors? ACE inhibitors are a group (class) of medicines that are used in the treatment of high blood pressure and heart failure. ACE inhibitor stands for angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor which include captopril, enalapril, fosinopril, imidapril, lisinopril, moexipril, perindopril, quinapril, and ramipril. Ace inhibitors work by reducing angiotensin converting enzyme which lowers blood pressure by dilating and relaxing blood vessels.
Stuard S. et al (1) found that Pycnogenol, a French maritime pine bark extract, plus ramipril, (an ACE inhibitor) in combination improved blood pressure, kidney function, protein in urine, and blood glucose over ramipril alone in 2 similar studies. One group was treated with ramipril (5mg twice daily), then were instructed to follow a healthier lifestyle. Another group was given Pycnogenol (50 mg 3 times/day) in addition to ramipril. Pycnogenol plus ramipril significantly further lowered blood pressure (BP) when compared to the group taking ramipril alone. After 6 months of treatment, average BP in the ramipril group was lowered to an almost high value of 128.2/90.2 mmHg, while the value in the group taking Pycnogenol with ramipril reached near normal levels (122.2/85.3 mmHg). Kidney function improved in both groups. With ramipril alone, protein in urine decreased by 22% but with the addition of Pycnogenol it decreased by 52.7%. The group taking Pycnogenol also had a lowered fasting blood glucose level and body mas index.
Cesarone MR et al (2) also reported that adding Pycnogenol found that albumin levels in the urine decreased significantly in the Pycnogenol group (-52 mg/day) compared to ramipril alone (-23 mg/day only). Pycnogenol was noted to improve systolic and diastolic flow by 12% and 8%, respectively.
Summary: Ace Inhibitor and Pycnogenol
In Summary, the authors of the research mentioned found that Pycnogenol plus ramipril significantly further lowered blood pressure (BP), improved kidney function, improved proteinuria, and reduced fasting blood glucose when compared to the group taking ramipril alone (1,2).
References For Protein in Urine and How to Lower Protein in Urine
1.Stuard S, Belcaro G, Cesarone MR, et al. Kidney function in metabolic syndrome may be improved with Pycnogenol®. Panminerva Med. 2010 Jun;52(2 Suppl 1):27-32. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20657531
2.Cesarone MR, Belcaro G, et al. Kidney Flow and Function in Hypertension: Protective Effects of Pycnogenol in Hypertensive Participants—A Controlled Study. J Cardiovasc Pharmacol Ther. 2010 Mar;15(1):41-6. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20097689
3.Mayo Clinic Staff . Mayo Clinic: Protein in Urine. Symptoms and Causes. Accessed online 9/5/2016.