A high-protein diet, if followed for an extended period of time may worsen kidney function. Because some high-protein diets restrict carbohydrate intake, which makes it difficult for the body to eliminate all of the waste products of protein metabolism.
Modern youth who are concerned about their appearance consume high protein, high fat, and low carbohydrate diets which carry an inherent risk of kidney damage. Our bodies are designed to use carbohydrates as an immediate source of fuel, fats as a storage form, and proteins as a last-resort source of fuel. While it is simple for our bodies to generate energy from carbohydrates, it takes many metabolic pathways to be activated in order to generate an equal amount of energy from fats and proteins. To put it another way, fats and proteins are inherently inefficient sources of energy.
When someone consumes a diet with a disproportionately high content of fats and proteins, they lose weight, making these diets popular among young people who want to lose weight and have a sculpted body. These high proteins, and low carbohydrate diets generate a large amount of nitrogenous waste and acid load, requiring the kidney to work harder to eliminate them. This causes hyperfiltration injury to the kidney, which eventually leads to renal failure.