Objective: To evaluate the effects on the nutritional and metabolic parameters of a very-low-protein diet supplemented with ketoacids (VLPD þ KA) in comparison with a conventional low-protein diet (LPD) in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. Design: Prospective, randomized, controlled clinical study. Setting: Outpatient Clinic of the Nephrology Division of Federal University of São Paulo, Brazil. Subjects: The study involved 24 patients with advanced CKD (creatinine clearance o25 ml/min) that were randomly assigned to either a VLPD þ KA (VLPD þ KA group, 12 patients) or to a conventional LPD with 0.6 g/kg/day (LPD group, 12 patients). The patients were followed for 4 months. Results: Nutritional status was adequately maintained with both diets for the studied period. Protein intake and serum urea nitrogen decreased significantly only in the VLPD þ KA group (from 0.6870.17 to 0.4370.12 g/kg/day, Po0.05; from 61.4712.8 to 43.6714.9 mg/dl, Po0.001; respectively). Ionized calcium did not change in the VLPD þ KA group but tended to decrease in the LPD group. Serum phosphorus tended to decrease in the VLPD þ KA group probably as a result of a significant reduction in dietary phosphorus (5297109 to 3737125 mg/day, Po0.05) associated to the phosphorus-binding effect of the ketoacids. No change in these parameters was found in the LPD group. Serum parathormone increased significantly only in the LPD group (from 2417138 to 4947390 pg/ml, Po0.01). The change in PTH concentration was negatively correlated with changes in ionized calcium concentration (r ¼ À0.75, P ¼ 0.02) and positively correlated with changes in serum phosphorus (r ¼ 0.71, P ¼ 0.03) only in the LPD group. Conclusion: This study indicates that a VLPD þ KA can maintain the nutritional status of the patients similarly to a conventional LPD. Besides, an improvement in calcium and phosphorus metabolism and a reduction in serum urea nitrogen were attained only with the VLPD þ KA. Thus, VLPD þ KA can constitute another efficient therapeutic alternative in the treatment of CKD patients. Sponsorship: This study was supported by CAPES, Oswaldo Ramos Foundation and Fresenius Kabi, Ltda.