Nutrition and the Kidney Donor

Abstract

ACCORDINGTOTHEUnited States Department of Health and Human Services Organ Procurement and TransplantationNetwork, 3,276 individuals served as living kidney donors in 2013. Many donors are family members, but nondirected donation is also increasing for transplant donations. This type of donation occurs when the individual and donor do not necessarily know the recipient receiving the organ. There are several benefits when the kidney donor comes from a living source. For individuals who are family members, genetics are more likely to be compatible, and this therefore reduces the risk of kidney rejection. The surgical time of kidney removal and transplant is less than when compared with a deceased donor, which supports a more rapid transplant function response. Last, testing for the donor and recipient can be done before the scheduled surgery, making the matching process more of a success. If living donation is not an option, deceased donor transplantation has also been successful for individuals requiring kidney transplantation. After kidney donation, one of the most common concerns is how quickly the donor will heal and return to normal health. Nutrition in particular is of concern, because donors hope to continue with their normal eating habits. According to the National Kidney Foundation and National Kidney Registry, there is no specific nutrition regimen suggested after donation, but a diet supporting a