DR. SHAWN BAKER: ketogenic amino acids, like leucine and lysine . . . were inversely linked to kidney disease risk.

Are certain proteins better for your kidneys than others? pic.twitter.com/PwSlbPf5P1

— Dr Shawn Baker 🥩 (@SBakerMD) June 30, 2025

What if the kind of protein you eat could help protect your kidneys even if you have type 2 diabetes? Now a new study has just revealed a game-changing insight.  It's not just how much protein you eat, but what TYPES of amino acids you're feeding your body. Researchers looked at dietary patterns in adults with type 2 diabetes, and here's what they found. High total protein intake was associated with greater risk of diabetic kidney disease, BUT certain amino acids told a different story. And our ketogenic amino acids, like leucine and lysine. These specific amino acids were inversely linked to kidney disease risk.  That means that the more people consumed THEM, the lower the risk appeared to be.

Why?

Ketogenic amino acids don't flood the body with nitrogen waste the same way other proteins can, and that's a big win for the already stressed kidneys.

So what does this mean? Foods rich in ketogenic amino acids like eggs, salmon, and beef might actually protect your kidneys even on a high protein diet.  This isn't just about counting grams.  It's about understanding the profile of your protein.  

If you want to find out more, check out Revero.  We deal with the stuff all the time.  

NEW RESEARCH: SARS-CoV-2 virus stays in organs for months . . . Can persist in vital organs in heart and brain

Brief video on viral presence for many months https://t.co/0sA8cRQLkc

— Jennifer Depew, RD (@deNutrients) December 30, 2021

New research suggests COVID stays in the body for months.  There are plenty of reasons why you should avoid COVID-19.  One of these is the ability of the virus to stay in different parts of the body for months.  The new study suggests that it can persist in vital organs, including the heart and brain. 

Most infections are caused by bacteria and viruses.  Bacteria use the war of attrition to invade and destroy anything in their path.  Meanwhile, viruses use a more stealthy approach.  By hijacking host cells, viruses make more copies to conquer a host.  Full-blown invasion becomes known once new viral copies burst out of infected cells.  That said, a new study revealed that SARS-CoV-2 may linger inside vital human organs after infection.  It suggested that after recovering from COVID-19, the virus may spread and persist in the respiratory tract and nearly every other organ for months.  In the preprint published on Research Square, researchers at the US National Institutes of Health showed the “most comprehensive analysis to date” of SARS-CoV-2’s persistence in the human body.  The team autopsied 44 patients who died either from or with COVID-19.  They did the procedure to map and quantify the distribution of the coronavirus across the body.  According to The Hill, principal investigator Daniel Chertow said, along with his colleagues, that the RNA from the virus was found in patients for up to 230 days after symptom onset: that’s around 7 and ½ months.  What they found in this study might explain why some patients experience long-COVID.  The persistence isn’t exclusive to severe cases.  Researchers also found that the virus replicated in different organ systems in those who only had mild COVID-19.  All 44 autopsied cases were confirmed with detectable SARS-CoV-2 in 79 of 85 anatomical areas and body fluids sampled.  Based on that research, SARS-CoV-2 can reach the muscles, intestines, glands, and lymphatic areas.  It looks like the Coronavirus is seeding body-wide to deliver maximum damage to its host. 

Here is The Hill article cited in the presentation, dated December 27, 2021.  RNA from the virus was found up to 230 days after symptom onset.  It has been reported that Lysine halts the coronavirus.  

As does the trace mineral selenium.  Vitamin D, zinc, and selenium separately reduced COVID-19.