Member, Scientific Advisory Committee
Professor Richard J. Johnson
MD
Professor of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
Professor Richard Johnson, MD, is a kidney specialist and Professor of Medicine at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. His research on fructose and uric acid led to the "survival switch" theory: that an ancient pathway designed to help animals store fat for lean times is being switched on by modern diets. He has published hundreds of papers and is the author of Nature Wants Us to Be Fat, The Sugar Fix and The Fat Switch.
Areas of expertise
- Fructose and sugar
- Uric acid
- Obesity and the survival switch
- Kidney disease and hypertension
Prevention areas their work supports
- Blood sugar & metabolic health
- Heart and stroke
Selected research
- Potential role of sugar (fructose) in the epidemic of hypertension, obesity and the metabolic syndrome, diabetes, kidney disease, and cardiovascular disease (opens in a new tab)
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2007
- Uric acid and cardiovascular risk (opens in a new tab)
New England Journal of Medicine, 2008
- The fructose survival hypothesis for obesity (opens in a new tab)
Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, 2023
See all 197 publicationsHide the full publication list
Every paper from 2020 onwards, plus his landmark papers from earlier years.
Reports, consensus statements and position papers
- National Kidney Foundation Scientific Workshop report, Am J Kidney Dis 2018
- "Uric Acid and Hypertension: An Update With Recommendations," Am J Hypertens 2020
- "Hyperuricaemia and gout in cardiovascular, metabolic and kidney disease" (expert statement), Eur J Intern Med 2020
- "Alternative Dietary Patterns for Americans: Low-Carbohydrate Diets" (position paper), Nutrients 2021
- "Controversies and practical management of patients with gout and CKD," Kidney Int 2024
Peer reviewed papers, 2020 to present
- Inhibiting fructose metabolism to treat fatty liver (opens in a new tab)
Johnson RJ, Lanaspa MA, Tolan DR. Nat Metab, 2026
- Uric acid and heart failure (opens in a new tab)
Kuwabara M, Cicero AFG, Kanbay M, Johnson RJ, Borghi C, et al. J Cardiol, 2026
- Effectiveness of Telehealth Low-Carbohydrate Intervention in Preventing Chronic Kidney Disease: A Real-World, Retrospective, Matched Cohort Study (opens in a new tab)
Athinarayanan SJ, Bjornstad P, Volek JS, Himmelfarb J, Johnson RJ, et al. Diabetes Obes Metab, 2026
- The Need for Omics Studies in Chronic Kidney Disease of Unknown Etiology (CKDu): A Narrative Review and Perspective (opens in a new tab)
Chesterman CS, Li AS, Gibb M, Johnson RJ, Brown JM, et al. Int J Mol Sci, 2026
- Narrative Review: Sugar and Rice and the Diabetes Epidemic in India: A Historical Context (opens in a new tab)
Athinarayanan SJ, Mascarenhas DD, Fox JW, Lanaspa MA, Johnson RJ, et al. Nutrients, 2026
- Fructose: metabolic signal and modern hazard (opens in a new tab)
Johnson RJ, Lanaspa MA, Tolan DR, Stanhope KL, Rabinowitz JD, et al. Nat Metab, 2026
- Chronic Inflammation as an Overlooked Link between Cardiovascular and Kidney Disease: A Focus on IL-6 and C-Reactive Protein (opens in a new tab)
Pergola P, Johnson RJ, Levin A, Stenvinkel P. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol, 2026
- Neutrophil:lymphocyte ratio and cell-free DNA dynamics during excessive heat stress in occupational and experimental settings (opens in a new tab)
Hansson E, Glaser JR, Johnson RJ, Wesseling C, Lucas RAI, et al. J Therm Biol, 2026
- Glomerular Transcriptome Analysis Reveals Endothelial Disturbances in Patients With Idiopathic Nephrotic Syndrome (opens in a new tab)
Nelson-Taylor SK, Troost J, Smoyer WE, Johnson RJ, Cara-Fuentes G, et al. Kidney Med, 2025
- Endothelial cell-released CD93 contributes to podocyte injury in idiopathic nephrotic syndrome (opens in a new tab)
Bauer C, Piani F, Thurman JM, Johnson RJ, Cara-Fuentes G, et al. Sci Transl Med, 2026
- Evaluating the effects of heat strain and air pollution on kidney health (opens in a new tab)
Butler-Dawson J, Jaramillo D, Johnson RJ, Adgate JL, Newman LS, et al. Environ Int, 2026
- The Prevalence of Scabies, Skin Infection and Rheumatic Heart Disease in a Cross-Sectional Study of Tongan Primary School Children (opens in a new tab)
Thornley S, Fakakovikaetau T, Johnson RJ, Morris AJ, Sundborn G, et al. J Paediatr Child Health, 2026
- Comparative physiology and biomimetics in metabolic and environmental health: what can we learn from extreme animal phenotypes? (opens in a new tab)
Stenvinkel P, Kotanko P, Painer-Gigler J, Shiels PG, Johnson RJ, et al. Diabetologia, 2026
- Identification of a common ketohexokinase-dependent link driving alcohol intake and alcohol-associated liver disease in mice (opens in a new tab)
Andres-Hernando A, Orlicky DJ, Tolan DR, Johnson RJ, Lanaspa MA, et al. Nat Metab, 2025
- The interplay of NAD+, hyperuricemia, and renal damage: A scientific review (opens in a new tab)
Sánchez-Lozada LG, García-Arroyo F, Rodríguez-Iturbe B, Johnson RJ, et al. Pathol Res Pract, 2025
- Measuring Environmental Chemical Burden with Wristbands: Implications for Kidney Health Among Women in Rural Guatemala (opens in a new tab)
Butler-Dawson J, Erlandson G, Johnson RJ, Newman LS, James KA, et al. Toxics, 2025
- A work and off-work evaluation of female workers' heat and particulate matter exposures and kidney health in Guatemala (opens in a new tab)
Butler-Dawson J, Jaramillo D, Johnson RJ, Newman LS, et al. J Clim Chang Health, 2025
- Serum Syndecan-1 is Associated With Kidney and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Idiopathic Nephrotic Syndrome (opens in a new tab)
Bauer C, Anand A, Smoyer WE, Johnson RJ, Cara-Fuentes G, et al. Kidney Int Rep, 2025
- Water scarcity and conservation and their role in obesity in nature and in humans (opens in a new tab)
Johnson RJ, Painer-Gigler J, Stenvinkel P, Sánchez-Lozada LG, et al. J Intern Med, 2025
- Citrate in the management of gout, urate nephrolithiasis and kidney disease: an old therapy rediscovered? (opens in a new tab)
Johnson RJ, Bjornstad P, Weimbs T. Rheumatology (Oxford), 2025
- Prevalence and risk factors of chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology in Northeast Thailand (opens in a new tab)
Cha'on U, Aranyapal A, Johnson RJ, Brown JM, Anutrakulchai S, et al. J Nephrol, 2025
- Native American Ancestry and Susceptibility to Mesoamerican Nephropathy (opens in a new tab)
Sato Y, Yracheta J, Roncal C, Li A, Johnson RJ. Am J Kidney Dis, 2025
- Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter-2 Inhibitors and Uric Acid (opens in a new tab)
Sanchez-Lozada LG, Lanaspa MA, Rodriguez-Iturbe B, Madero M, Johnson RJ, et al. Nephron, 2025
- Aldose reductase, fructose and fat production in the liver (opens in a new tab)
Delannoy P, Tolan DR, Lanaspa MA, San Millán I, Johnson RJ, et al. Biochem J, 2025
- Modulation of the thiol redox proteome by sugarcane ash-derived silica nanoparticles: insights into chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology (opens in a new tab)
Stem AD, Michel CR, Johnson RJ, Brown JM, et al. Part Fibre Toxicol, 2025
- Response to Avoid Preclinical Errors When Using Urine Biomarkers of Exposure (opens in a new tab)
Stem AD, Brindley S, Johnson RJ, Brown JM, et al. Kidney Int Rep, 2024
- Do not overlook the role of fructose in obesity (opens in a new tab)
Nakagawa T, Johnson RJ. Nat Metab, 2025
- The Role of Beta-Hydroxybutyrate in Mitigating the Inflammatory and Metabolic Consequences of Uric Acid (opens in a new tab)
Remund NP, Larsen JG, Johnson RJ, Bikman BT, et al. Metabolites, 2024
- Harnessing Evolution and Biomimetics to Enhance Planetary Health: Kidney Insights (opens in a new tab)
Stenvinkel P, Shiels PG, Kotanko P, Evenepoel P, Johnson RJ. J Am Soc Nephrol, 2025
- Pegloticase-Induced Rapid Uric Acid Lowering and Kidney and Cardiac Health Markers in Youth-Onset Type 2 Diabetes: A Pilot Clinical Trial (opens in a new tab)
Narongkiatikhun P, Park S, Johnson RJ, Bjornstad P, et al. Kidney Med, 2024
- Production of Acetylcholine by Podocytes and its Protection from Kidney Injury in GN (opens in a new tab)
Truong LD, Trostel J, Lanaspa M, Johnson RJ, Garcia GE, et al. J Am Soc Nephrol, 2025
- Cystocentesis and Urinalysis in Zoomedicine: An Underestimated Tool for Large Felid Standard Health Checks (opens in a new tab)
Rauch-Schmücking H, Bohner J, Stenvinkel P, Johnson RJ, Painer-Gigler J, et al. J Zoo Wildl Med, 2024
- A longitudinal assessment of heat exposure and biomarkers of kidney function on heat shock protein 70 and antibodies among agricultural workers (opens in a new tab)
Butler-Dawson J, Johnson RJ, Krisher L, Sanchez-Lozada LG, Newman LS, et al. BMC Nephrol, 2024
- Controversies and practical management of patients with gout and chronic kidney disease (opens in a new tab)
Johnson RJ, Mandell BF, Schlesinger N, Mount DB, Singh JA, et al. Kidney Int, 2024
- Differential Rates of Glycation Following Exposure to Unique Monosaccharides (opens in a new tab)
Clarke DM, Koutnik AP, Johnson RJ, Bikman BT, Reynolds PR, et al. Int J Mol Sci, 2024
- Activation of AMPD2 drives metabolic dysregulation and liver disease in mice with hereditary fructose intolerance (opens in a new tab)
Andres-Hernando A, Orlicky DJ, Tolan DR, Johnson RJ, Lanaspa MA, et al. Commun Biol, 2024
- The Metabolic and Endocrine Effects of a 12-Week Allulose-Rich Diet (opens in a new tab)
Cayabyab KB, Shin MJ, Johnson RJ, Koutnik AP, Bikman BT, et al. Nutrients, 2024
- Ten tips on how to care for your CKD patients in episodes of extreme heat (opens in a new tab)
Khoshnaw LJ, Johnson RJ, Young SE. Clin Kidney J, 2024
- A study on the early metabolic effects of salt and fructose consumption: the protective role of water (opens in a new tab)
Hasbal NB, Bakir CN, Lanaspa MA, Johnson RJ, Kanbay M, et al. Hypertens Res, 2024
- Serum uric acid to eGFR ratio correlates with adverse outcomes in elderly hospitalized for acute heart failure (opens in a new tab)
Piani F, Baschino S, Johnson RJ, Borghi C, et al. Int J Cardiol, 2024
- Exposome and Metabolome Analysis of Sugarcane Workers Reveals Predictors of Kidney Injury (opens in a new tab)
Stem AD, Brindley S, Johnson RJ, Newman LS, Brown JM, et al. Kidney Int Rep, 2024
- Health burden of sugarcane burning on agricultural workers and nearby communities (opens in a new tab)
Stem AD, Gibb M, Roncal-Jimenez CA, Johnson RJ, Brown JM. Inhal Toxicol, 2024
- Intranasal Administration of Sugarcane Ash Causes Chronic Kidney Disease in Rats (opens in a new tab)
Roncal-Jimenez CA, Rogers KL, Madero M, Brown JM, Johnson RJ, et al. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol, 2024
- Insulin Secretion, Sensitivity, and Kidney Function in Young Individuals With Type 2 Diabetes (opens in a new tab)
Bjornstad P, Choi YJ, Johnson RJ, Nadeau KJ, et al. Diabetes Care, 2024
- Relationship between hyperuricemia, HSP70 and NLRP3 inflammasome in arterial hypertension (opens in a new tab)
Rodríguez-Iturbe B, Johnson RJ, Sánchez-Lozada LG. Arch Cardiol Mex, 2023
- Endogenous Fructose Production and Metabolism Drive Metabolic Dysregulation and Liver Disease in Mice with Hereditary Fructose Intolerance (opens in a new tab)
Andres-Hernando A, Orlicky DJ, Johnson RJ, Tolan DR, Lanaspa MA, et al. Nutrients, 2023
- Silica Nanoparticles and Mesoamerican Nephropathy: A Case Series (opens in a new tab)
Rogers KL, Roncal-Jimenez CA, Glaser J, Johnson RJ, Brown JM, et al. Am J Kidney Dis, 2024
- The fructose survival hypothesis as a mechanism for unifying the various obesity hypotheses (opens in a new tab)
Johnson RJ, Sánchez-Lozada LG, Lanaspa MA. Obesity (Silver Spring), 2024
- Sugar, salt, immunity and the cause of primary hypertension (opens in a new tab)
Sánchez-Lozada LG, Madero M, Mazzali M, Feig DI, Johnson RJ, et al. Clin Kidney J, 2023
- The fructose survival hypothesis for obesity (opens in a new tab)
Johnson RJ, Lanaspa MA, Sanchez-Lozada LG, Tolan D, Stenvinkel P, et al. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci, 2023
- Formerly bile-farmed bears as a model of accelerated ageing (opens in a new tab)
Kalogeropoulu SK, Rauch-Schmücking H, Stenvinkel P, Johnson RJ, Painer-Gigler J, et al. Sci Rep, 2023
- Sugarcane ash and sugarcane ash-derived silica nanoparticles alter cellular metabolism in human proximal tubular kidney cells (opens in a new tab)
Stem AD, Rogers KL, Roede JR, Johnson RJ, Brown JM, et al. Environ Pollut, 2023
- High Fructose Corn Syrup Accelerates Kidney Disease and Mortality in Obese Mice with Metabolic Syndrome (opens in a new tab)
Andres-Hernando A, Orlicky DJ, Sanchez-Lozada LG, Johnson RJ, Lanaspa MA, et al. Biomolecules, 2023
- Osthole Prevents Heart Damage Induced by Diet-Induced Metabolic Syndrome: Role of Fructokinase (KHK) (opens in a new tab)
García-Arroyo FE, Gonzaga-Sánchez G, Lanaspa MA, Johnson RJ, Sánchez-Lozada LG, et al. Antioxidants (Basel), 2023
- β1-Integrin blockade prevents podocyte injury in experimental models of minimal change disease (opens in a new tab)
Cara-Fuentes G, Verma R, Venkatareddy M, Bauer C, Johnson RJ, et al. Nefrologia (Engl Ed), 2024
- Thiamine deficiency: a commonly unrecognised but easily treatable condition (opens in a new tab)
Schostak T, San Millan I, Jani A, Johnson RJ. Postgrad Med J, 2023
- Phosphate depletion in insulin-insensitive skeletal muscle drives AMPD activation and sarcopenia in chronic kidney disease (opens in a new tab)
Andres-Hernando A, Cicerchi C, Stenvinkel P, Johnson RJ, Lanaspa MA, et al. iScience, 2023
- Fructose: A New Variable to Consider in SIADH and the Hyponatremia Associated With Long-Distance Running? (opens in a new tab)
Johnson RJ, Lee SMK, Sánchez-Lozada LG, Kanbay M, Maesaka J, et al. Am J Kidney Dis, 2023
- HSP70 and Primary Arterial Hypertension (opens in a new tab)
Rodriguez-Iturbe B, Johnson RJ, Sanchez-Lozada LG, Pons H. Biomolecules, 2023
- Uric Acid and Chronic Kidney Disease: Still More to Do (opens in a new tab)
Johnson RJ, Sanchez Lozada LG, Lanaspa MA, Piani F, Borghi C. Kidney Int Rep, 2023
- Could Alzheimer's disease be a maladaptation of an evolutionary survival pathway mediated by intracerebral fructose and uric acid metabolism? (opens in a new tab)
Johnson RJ, Tolan DR, Bredesen D, Nagel M, Perlmutter D, et al. Am J Clin Nutr, 2023
- A Crystal-Independent Role for Uric Acid in AKI Associated with Tumor Lysis Syndrome (opens in a new tab)
Ejaz AA, Mohandas R, Beaver TM, Johnson RJ. J Am Soc Nephrol, 2023
- Responses to Hypoxia: How Fructose Metabolism and Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1a Pathways Converge in Health and Disease (opens in a new tab)
Kanbay M, Altıntas A, Lanaspa MA, Johnson RJ, et al. Curr Nutr Rep, 2023
- An elevation in serum uric acid precedes the development of preeclampsia (opens in a new tab)
Nakagawa T, Kang DH, Johnson RJ. Hypertens Res, 2023
- Fructose might be a clue to the origin of preeclampsia insights from nature and evolution (opens in a new tab)
Nakagawa T, Andres-Hernando A, Karumanchi SA, Lanaspa MA, Johnson RJ, et al. Hypertens Res, 2023
- Lessons from evolution by natural selection: An unprecedented opportunity to use biomimetics to improve planetary health (opens in a new tab)
Stenvinkel P, Shiels PG, Johnson RJ. J Environ Manage, 2023
- Climate and the Nephrologist: The Intersection of Climate Change, Kidney Disease, and Clinical Care (opens in a new tab)
Young SE, Khoshnaw LJ, Johnson RJ. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol, 2023
- Intestinal Hyperuricemia as a Driving Mechanism for CKD (opens in a new tab)
Johnson RJ. Am J Kidney Dis, 2023
- Do thrifty genes exist? Revisiting uricase (opens in a new tab)
Johnson RJ, Sánchez-Lozada LG, Nakagawa T, Gaucher EA, Andrews P, et al. Obesity (Silver Spring), 2022
- Redox imbalance in COVID-19 pathophysiology (opens in a new tab)
Majumder N, Deepak V, Kelley EE, Johnson RJ, Hussain S, et al. Redox Biol, 2022
- Pulmonary surfactants and the respiratory-renal connection in steroid-sensitive nephrotic syndrome of childhood (opens in a new tab)
Cara-Fuentes G, Andres-Hernando A, Bauer C, Johnson RJ, Lanaspa MA, et al. iScience, 2022
- Inhaled silica nanoparticles cause chronic kidney disease in rats (opens in a new tab)
Sasai F, Rogers KL, Brown JM, Johnson RJ, Roncal-Jimenez CA, et al. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol, 2022
- Current Hydration Habits: The Disregarded Factor for the Development of Renal and Cardiometabolic Diseases (opens in a new tab)
Johnson RJ, García-Arroyo FE, Lanaspa MA, Sánchez-Lozada LG, et al. Nutrients, 2022
- Aminoaciduria and metabolic dysregulation during diabetic ketoacidosis: Results from the diabetic kidney alarm (DKA) study (opens in a new tab)
Melena I, Piani F, Nadeau KJ, Johnson RJ, Bjornstad P, et al. J Diabetes Complications, 2022
- Minimal Change Disease Is Associated With Endothelial Glycocalyx Degradation and Endothelial Activation (opens in a new tab)
Bauer C, Piani F, Thurman JM, Johnson RJ, Cara-Fuentes G, et al. Kidney Int Rep, 2022
- Sirtuin deficiency and the adverse effects of fructose and uric acid synthesis (opens in a new tab)
Rodriguez-Iturbe B, Johnson RJ, Lanaspa MA, Nakagawa T, Sánchez-Lozada LG, et al. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol, 2022
- Insights into Salt Handling and Blood Pressure (opens in a new tab)
Johnson RJ, Lanaspa MA, Rodriguez-Iturbe B. N Engl J Med, 2022
- Prevalence and Outcomes Associated with Hyperuricemia in Hospitalized Patients with COVID-19 (opens in a new tab)
Chauhan K, Pattharanitima P, Piani F, Johnson RJ, Coca SG, et al. Am J Nephrol, 2022
- Uric acid levels in adult patients with severe eating disorders (opens in a new tab)
Watters A, Johnson RJ, Bauschka M, Mehler PS, et al. Int J Eat Disord, 2022
- Climate change and nephrology (opens in a new tab)
Sasai F, Roncal-Jimenez C, Newman LS, Johnson RJ, et al. Nephrol Dial Transplant, 2023
- The Role of Uric Acid in the Acute Myocardial Infarction: A Narrative Review (opens in a new tab)
Demiray A, Afsar B, Covic A, Kuwabara M, Johnson RJ, et al. Angiology, 2022
- Environmental metal exposures and kidney function of Guatemalan sugarcane workers (opens in a new tab)
Butler-Dawson J, James KA, Krisher L, Johnson RJ, et al. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol, 2022
- Sugarcane Workweek Study: Mechanisms Underlying Daily Changes in Creatinine (opens in a new tab)
Dally M, Sorensen CJ, Butler-Dawson J, Johnson RJ, et al. Kidney Int Rep, 2021
- Alternative Dietary Patterns for Americans: Low-Carbohydrate Diets (opens in a new tab)
Volek JS, Phinney SD, Krauss RM, Johnson RJ, Hamdy O, et al. Nutrients, 2021
- Mini Review: Reappraisal of Uric Acid in Chronic Kidney Disease (opens in a new tab)
Goldberg A, Garcia-Arroyo F, Sanchez-Lozada LG, Johnson RJ, et al. Am J Nephrol, 2021
- Determinants of Pancreatic Steatosis: A Retrospective Observational Study (opens in a new tab)
Altinmakas E, Guler B, Johnson RJ, Kanbay M, et al. Middle East J Dig Dis, 2021
- Umami-induced obesity and metabolic syndrome is mediated by nucleotide degradation and uric acid generation (opens in a new tab)
Andres-Hernando A, Cicerchi C, Kuwabara M, Johnson RJ, Lanaspa MA, et al. Nat Metab, 2021
- Brief report: The uricase mutation in humans increases our risk for cancer growth (opens in a new tab)
Fini MA, Lanaspa MA, Gaucher EA, Andrews P, Johnson RJ, et al. Cancer Metab, 2021
- Sugarcane Workweek Study: Risk Factors for Daily Changes in Creatinine (opens in a new tab)
Butler-Dawson J, Krisher L, Dally M, Johnson RJ, Newman LS, et al. Kidney Int Rep, 2021
- Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 decreased expression during kidney inflammatory diseases: implications to predisposing to COVID-19 kidney complications (opens in a new tab)
Garcia GE, Truong LD, Johnson RJ. Kidney Int, 2021
- A Novel Treatment for Glomerular Disease: Targeting the Activated Macrophage Folate Receptor with a Trojan Horse Therapy in Rats (opens in a new tab)
Garcia GE, Lu YJ, Truong LD, Johnson RJ, Leamon CP, et al. Cells, 2021
- Tubular injury in diabetic ketoacidosis: Results from the diabetic kidney alarm study (opens in a new tab)
Piani F, Melena I, Nadeau KJ, Johnson RJ, Bjornstad P, et al. Pediatr Diabetes, 2021
- Expression of human CD47 in pig glomeruli prevents proteinuria and prolongs graft survival following pig-to-baboon xenotransplantation (opens in a new tab)
Takeuchi K, Ariyoshi Y, Sykes M, Johnson RJ, Yamada K, et al. Xenotransplantation, 2021
- Manipulating the exposome to enable better ageing (opens in a new tab)
Shiels PG, Painer J, Natterson-Horowitz B, Johnson RJ, Stenvinkel P, et al. Biochem J, 2021
- Endogenous Fructose Metabolism Could Explain the Warburg Effect and the Protection of SGLT2 Inhibitors in Chronic Kidney Disease (opens in a new tab)
Nakagawa T, Sanchez-Lozada LG, Bjornstad P, Lanaspa MA, Johnson RJ, et al. Front Immunol, 2021
- Acute Kidney Injury in Pediatric Diabetic Kidney Disease (opens in a new tab)
Piani F, Reinicke T, Borghi C, Johnson RJ, Bjornstad P, et al. Front Pediatr, 2021
- The Speed of Ingestion of a Sugary Beverage Has an Effect on the Acute Metabolic Response to Fructose (opens in a new tab)
Kanbay M, Guler B, Lanaspa MA, Johnson RJ, et al. Nutrients, 2021
- The role of thrifty genes in the origin of alcoholism: A narrative review and hypothesis (opens in a new tab)
Carn D, Lanaspa MA, Benner SA, Dudley R, Johnson RJ, et al. Alcohol Clin Exp Res, 2021
- Fructose and Uric Acid as Drivers of a Hyperactive Foraging Response: A Clue to Behavioral Disorders Associated with Impulsivity or Mania? (opens in a new tab)
Johnson RJ, Wilson WL, Bland ST, Lanaspa MA. Evol Hum Behav, 2021
- Response to "Female Figurines, Climate Sensationalism, and Archaeological Shortcomings" (opens in a new tab)
Johnson RJ, Lanaspa MA, Fox JW. Obesity (Silver Spring), 2021
- Hyperuricemia and chronic kidney disease: to treat or not to treat (opens in a new tab)
Piani F, Sasai F, Bjornstad P, Borghi C, Johnson RJ, et al. J Bras Nefrol, 2021
- Hyperuricemia in Kidney Disease: A Major Risk Factor for Cardiovascular Events, Vascular Calcification, and Renal Damage (opens in a new tab)
Ejaz AA, Nakagawa T, Kanbay M, Kuwabara M, Johnson RJ, et al. Semin Nephrol, 2020
- Osthol Ameliorates Kidney Damage and Metabolic Syndrome Induced by a High-Fat/High-Sugar Diet (opens in a new tab)
García-Arroyo FE, Gonzaga-Sánchez G, Tapia E, Johnson RJ, et al. Int J Mol Sci, 2021
- Urine tungsten and chronic kidney disease in rural Colorado (opens in a new tab)
Fox J, Macaluso F, Moore C, Johnson RJ, Hamman RF, et al. Environ Res, 2021
- Sex-related differences in diabetic kidney disease: A review on the mechanisms and potential therapeutic implications (opens in a new tab)
Piani F, Melena I, Tommerdahl KL, Johnson RJ, et al. J Diabetes Complications, 2021
- Does gouty nephropathy exist, and is it more common than we think? (opens in a new tab)
Piani F, Johnson RJ. Kidney Int, 2021
- Hyperuricemia and progression of chronic kidney disease: to treat or not to treat? (opens in a new tab)
Floege J, Johnson RJ. Kidney Int, 2021
- Lean NAFLD: an underrecognized and challenging disorder in medicine (opens in a new tab)
Maier S, Wieland A, Cree-Green M, Lanaspa MA, Johnson RJ, et al. Rev Endocr Metab Disord, 2021
- Fluid Intake Restriction Concomitant to Sweetened Beverages Hydration Induce Kidney Damage (opens in a new tab)
García-Arroyo FE, Tapia E, Johnson RJ, et al. Oxid Med Cell Longev, 2020
- Vasopressin mediates fructose-induced metabolic syndrome by activating the V1b receptor (opens in a new tab)
Andres-Hernando A, Jensen TJ, Kuwabara M, Johnson RJ, Lanaspa MA, et al. JCI Insight, 2021
- Upper Paleolithic Figurines Showing Women with Obesity may Represent Survival Symbols of Climatic Change (opens in a new tab)
Johnson RJ, Lanaspa MA, Fox JW. Obesity (Silver Spring), 2021
- Insights in the regulation of trimetylamine N-oxide production using a comparative biomimetic approach suggest a metabolic switch in hibernating bears (opens in a new tab)
Ebert T, Painer J, Johnson RJ, et al. Sci Rep, 2020
- New-Onset Gout as an Independent Risk Factor for Returning to Dialysis After Kidney Transplantation (opens in a new tab)
Li JW, Yin D, Wang Z, Johnson RJ, et al. Transplant Direct, 2020
- Allopurinol and Chronic Kidney Disease (opens in a new tab)
Kang DH, Sanchez-Lozada LG, Johnson RJ. N Engl J Med, 2020
- Cerebral Fructose Metabolism as a Potential Mechanism Driving Alzheimer's Disease (opens in a new tab)
Johnson RJ, Gomez-Pinilla F, Nagel M, Nakagawa T, Sanchez-Lozada LG, et al. Front Aging Neurosci, 2020
- Systemic Urate Deposition: An Unrecognized Complication of Gout? (opens in a new tab)
Khanna P, Johnson RJ, Marder B, LaMoreaux B, Kumar A. J Clin Med, 2020
- Creatinine Fluctuations Forecast Cross-Harvest Kidney Function Decline Among Sugarcane Workers in Guatemala (opens in a new tab)
Dally M, Butler-Dawson J, Johnson RJ, Krisher L, et al. Kidney Int Rep, 2020
- A Pilot Study to Assess Inhalation Exposures among Sugarcane Workers in Guatemala: Implications for Chronic Kidney Disease of Unknown Origin (opens in a new tab)
Schaeffer JW, Adgate JL, Reynolds SJ, Johnson RJ, et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health, 2020
- Hyperuricaemia and gout in cardiovascular, metabolic and kidney disease (opens in a new tab)
Borghi C, Agabiti-Rosei E, Johnson RJ, Kielstein JT, Mancia G, et al. Eur J Intern Med, 2020
- Relative Hypoxia and Early Diabetic Kidney Disease in Type 1 Diabetes (opens in a new tab)
Vinovskis C, Li LP, Prasad P, Johnson RJ, et al. Diabetes, 2020
- A planetary health perspective for kidney disease (opens in a new tab)
Stenvinkel P, Shiels PG, Painer J, Natterson-Horowitz B, Johnson RJ, et al. Kidney Int, 2020
- Fructose contributes to the Warburg effect for cancer growth (opens in a new tab)
Nakagawa T, Lanaspa MA, San Millan I, Fini M, Johnson RJ, et al. Cancer Metab, 2020
- SARS-COV-2 and biomimetics: What saves the planet will save our health (opens in a new tab)
Stenvinkel P, Painer J, Shiels PG, Johnson RJ, et al. J Intern Med, 2021
- Sugar causes obesity and metabolic syndrome in mice independently of sweet taste (opens in a new tab)
Andres-Hernando A, Kuwabara M, Orlicky DJ, Kinnamon SC, Johnson RJ, et al. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab, 2020
- Deletion of Fructokinase in the Liver or in the Intestine Reveals Differential Effects on Sugar-Induced Metabolic Dysfunction (opens in a new tab)
Andres-Hernando A, Orlicky DJ, Kuwabara M, Ishimoto T, Johnson RJ, et al. Cell Metab, 2020
- Pathophysiological Mechanisms by which Heat Stress Potentially Induces Kidney Inflammation and Chronic Kidney Disease in Sugarcane Workers (opens in a new tab)
Hansson E, Glaser J, Jakobsson K, Wesseling C, Johnson RJ, et al. Nutrients, 2020
- Decreased kidney function and agricultural work: a cross-sectional study in middle-aged adults from Tierra Blanca, Mexico (opens in a new tab)
Aguilar-Ramirez D, Raña-Custodio A, Villa A, Johnson RJ, et al. Nephrol Dial Transplant, 2021
- Hyperosmolarity and Increased Serum Sodium Concentration Are Risks for Developing Hypertension Regardless of Salt Intake: A Five-Year Cohort Study in Japan (opens in a new tab)
Kuwabara M, Kanbay M, Niwa K, Andres-Hernando A, Johnson RJ, et al. Nutrients, 2020
- Glomerular endothelial cells and podocytes can express CD80 in patients with minimal change disease during relapse (opens in a new tab)
Cara-Fuentes G, Venkatareddy M, Verma R, Segarra A, Johnson RJ, et al. Pediatr Nephrol, 2020
- Osmotic Nephrosis and Acute Kidney Injury Associated With SGLT2 Inhibitor Use: A Case Report (opens in a new tab)
Phadke G, Kaushal A, Tolan DR, Bjornstad P, Johnson RJ, et al. Am J Kidney Dis, 2020
- Reply to 'The case for evidence-based medicine for the association between hyperuricaemia and CKD' (opens in a new tab)
Sato Y, Feig DI, Stack AG, Kang DH, Johnson RJ, et al. Nat Rev Nephrol, 2020
- A Retrospective Cohort Study of the Effect of Gout on Mortality Among Patients with a History of Kidney Transplantation (opens in a new tab)
Li JW, Suh M, Brigham MD, LaMoreaux B, Johnson RJ, et al. Ann Transplant, 2020
- Fructose Production and Metabolism in the Kidney (opens in a new tab)
Nakagawa T, Johnson RJ, Andres-Hernando A, Sanchez-Lozada LG, Tolan DR, et al. J Am Soc Nephrol, 2020
- The Optimal Range of Serum Uric Acid for Cardiometabolic Diseases: A 5-Year Japanese Cohort Study (opens in a new tab)
Kuwabara M, Hisatome I, Niwa K, Bjornstad P, Johnson RJ, et al. J Clin Med, 2020
- Febuxostat and atrial fibrillation (opens in a new tab)
Kuwabara M, Borghi C, Johnson RJ. Eur Heart J, 2020
- Immunosuppressant Use and Gout in the Prevalent Solid Organ Transplantation Population (opens in a new tab)
Brigham MD, Milgroom A, Lenco MO, Johnson RJ, et al. Prog Transplant, 2020
- Uric Acid and Hypertension: An Update With Recommendations (opens in a new tab)
Sanchez-Lozada LG, Rodriguez-Iturbe B, Kelley EE, Feig DI, Johnson RJ, et al. Am J Hypertens, 2020
- Association of Copeptin, a Surrogate Marker of Arginine Vasopressin, with Decreased Kidney Function in Sugarcane Workers in Guatemala (opens in a new tab)
Butler-Dawson J, Dally M, Johnson RJ, Johnson EC, Sánchez-Lozada LG, et al. Ann Nutr Metab, 2020
- Longitudinal trends in renal function among first time sugarcane harvesters in Guatemala (opens in a new tab)
Dally M, Butler-Dawson J, Cruz A, Johnson RJ, et al. PLoS One, 2020
- Copeptin is independently associated with vascular calcification in chronic kidney disease stage 5 (opens in a new tab)
Golembiewska E, Qureshi AR, Dai L, Lindholm B, Johnson RJ, et al. BMC Nephrol, 2020
- Serum osmolarity as a potential predictor for contrast-induced nephropathy following elective coronary angiography (opens in a new tab)
Kanbay M, Siriopol D, Afsar B, Johnson RJ, et al. Int Urol Nephrol, 2020
- Chronic kidney disease of non-traditional origin in Mesoamerica: a disease primarily driven by occupational heat stress (opens in a new tab)
Wesseling C, Glaser J, Rodríguez-Guzmán J, Weiss I, Johnson RJ, et al. Rev Panam Salud Publica, 2020
- Fructose and hepatic insulin resistance (opens in a new tab)
Softic S, Stanhope KL, Boucher J, Lanaspa MA, Johnson RJ, et al. Crit Rev Clin Lab Sci, 2020
- The Effect of Urine pH and Urinary Uric Acid Levels on the Development of Contrast Nephropathy (opens in a new tab)
Aslan G, Afsar B, Sag AA, Johnson RJ, Kanbay M, et al. Kidney Blood Press Res, 2020
- Asymptomatic hyperuricaemia: a silent activator of the innate immune system (opens in a new tab)
Joosten LAB, Crişan TO, Bjornstad P, Johnson RJ. Nat Rev Rheumatol, 2020
- How strong is the relationship between scabies and acute rheumatic fever? An analysis of neighbourhood factors (opens in a new tab)
Thornley S, King R, Marshall R, Johnson RJ, et al. J Paediatr Child Health, 2020
- Evolutionary basis for the human diet: consequences for human health (opens in a new tab)
Andrews P, Johnson RJ. J Intern Med, 2020
- Biomimetics: Nature's roadmap to insights and solutions for burden of lifestyle diseases (opens in a new tab)
Stenvinkel P, Painer J, Johnson RJ, Natterson-Horowitz B. J Intern Med, 2020
- Fructose metabolism as a common evolutionary pathway of survival associated with climate change, food shortage and droughts (opens in a new tab)
Johnson RJ, Stenvinkel P, Andrews P, Sánchez-Lozada LG, Nakagawa T, et al. J Intern Med, 2020
- Fructose tolerance test in obese people with and without type 2 diabetes (opens in a new tab)
Al-Ozairi E, Rivard CJ, Sanchez Lozada LG, Lanaspa MA, Johnson RJ, et al. J Diabetes, 2020
Landmark papers before 2020
- Membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis associated with hepatitis C virus infection (opens in a new tab)
Johnson RJ, Gretch DR, Yamabe H, Hart J, et al. N Engl J Med, 1993
- Elevated uric acid increases blood pressure in the rat by a novel crystal-independent mechanism (opens in a new tab)
Mazzali M, Hughes J, Kim YG, Jefferson JA, Johnson RJ, et al. Hypertension, 2001
- Subtle acquired renal injury as a mechanism of salt-sensitive hypertension (opens in a new tab)
Johnson RJ, Herrera-Acosta J, Schreiner GF, Rodriguez-Iturbe B. N Engl J Med, 2002
- A role for uric acid in the progression of renal disease (opens in a new tab)
Kang DH, Nakagawa T, Feng L, Watanabe S, Johnson RJ, et al. J Am Soc Nephrol, 2002
- Uric acid, hominoid evolution, and the pathogenesis of salt-sensitivity (opens in a new tab)
Watanabe S, Kang DH, Feng L, Nakagawa T, Johnson RJ, et al. Hypertension, 2002
- Hyperuricemia induces a primary renal arteriolopathy in rats by a blood pressure-independent mechanism (opens in a new tab)
Mazzali M, Kanellis J, Han L, Feng L, Johnson RJ, et al. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol, 2002
- Is there a pathogenetic role for uric acid in hypertension and cardiovascular and renal disease? (opens in a new tab)
Johnson RJ, Kang DH, Feig D, Kivlighn S, et al. Hypertension, 2003
- Uric acid and diet: insights into the epidemic of cardiovascular disease (opens in a new tab)
Johnson RJ, Rideout BA. N Engl J Med, 2004
- Resurrection of uric acid as a causal risk factor in essential hypertension (opens in a new tab)
Johnson RJ, Feig DI, Herrera-Acosta J, Kang DH. Hypertension, 2005
- Hyperuricemia induces endothelial dysfunction (opens in a new tab)
Khosla UM, Zharikov S, Finch JL, Nakagawa T, Johnson RJ, et al. Kidney Int, 2005
- A causal role for uric acid in fructose-induced metabolic syndrome (opens in a new tab)
Nakagawa T, Hu H, Zharikov S, Tuttle KR, Johnson RJ, et al. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol, 2006
- Nephron number, uric acid, and renal microvascular disease in the pathogenesis of essential hypertension (opens in a new tab)
Feig DI, Rodriguez-Iturbe B, Nakagawa T, Johnson RJ. Hypertension, 2006
- Uric acid, the metabolic syndrome, and renal disease (opens in a new tab)
Cirillo P, Sato W, Reungjui S, Heinig M, Johnson RJ, et al. J Am Soc Nephrol, 2006
- Potential role of sugar (fructose) in the epidemic of hypertension, obesity and the metabolic syndrome, diabetes, kidney disease, and cardiovascular disease (opens in a new tab)
Johnson RJ, Segal MS, Sautin Y, Nakagawa T, et al. Am J Clin Nutr, 2007
- Fructose-induced metabolic syndrome is associated with glomerular hypertension and renal microvascular damage in rats (opens in a new tab)
Sánchez-Lozada LG, Tapia E, Jiménez A, Bautista P, Johnson RJ, et al. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol, 2007
- Fructose, but not dextrose, accelerates the progression of chronic kidney disease (opens in a new tab)
Gersch MS, Mu W, Cirillo P, Reungjui S, Johnson RJ, et al. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol, 2007
- Uric acid and cardiovascular risk (opens in a new tab)
Feig DI, Kang DH, Johnson RJ. N Engl J Med, 2008
- Effect of allopurinol on blood pressure of adolescents with newly diagnosed essential hypertension: a randomized trial (opens in a new tab)
Feig DI, Soletsky B, Johnson RJ. JAMA, 2008
- Pathogenesis of essential hypertension: historical paradigms and modern insights (opens in a new tab)
Johnson RJ, Feig DI, Nakagawa T, Sanchez-Lozada LG, et al. J Hypertens, 2008
- Hypothesis: could excessive fructose intake and uric acid cause type 2 diabetes? (opens in a new tab)
Johnson RJ, Perez-Pozo SE, Sautin YY, Manitius J, et al. Endocr Rev, 2009
- Lessons from comparative physiology: could uric acid represent a physiologic alarm signal gone awry in western society? (opens in a new tab)
Johnson RJ, Sautin YY, Oliver WJ, Roncal C, et al. J Comp Physiol B, 2009
- Increased fructose associates with elevated blood pressure (opens in a new tab)
Jalal DI, Smits G, Johnson RJ, Chonchol M. J Am Soc Nephrol, 2010
- The effect of fructose on renal biology and disease (opens in a new tab)
Johnson RJ, Sanchez-Lozada LG, Nakagawa T. J Am Soc Nephrol, 2010
- Theodore E. Woodward Award. The evolution of obesity: insights from the mid-Miocene (opens in a new tab)
Johnson RJ, Andrews P, Benner SA, Oliver W. Trans Am Clin Climatol Assoc, 2010
- Opposing effects of fructokinase C and A isoforms on fructose-induced metabolic syndrome in mice (opens in a new tab)
Ishimoto T, Lanaspa MA, Le MT, Garcia GE, Johnson RJ, et al. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 2012
- Uric acid induces hepatic steatosis by generation of mitochondrial oxidative stress: potential role in fructose-dependent and -independent fatty liver (opens in a new tab)
Lanaspa MA, Sanchez-Lozada LG, Choi YJ, Cicerchi C, Johnson RJ, et al. J Biol Chem, 2012
- Endogenous fructose production and metabolism in the liver contributes to the development of metabolic syndrome (opens in a new tab)
Lanaspa MA, Ishimoto T, Li N, Cicerchi C, Johnson RJ, et al. Nat Commun, 2013
- Sugar, uric acid, and the etiology of diabetes and obesity (opens in a new tab)
Johnson RJ, Nakagawa T, Sanchez-Lozada LG, Shafiu M, et al. Diabetes, 2013
- Redefining metabolic syndrome as a fat storage condition based on studies of comparative physiology (opens in a new tab)
Johnson RJ, Stenvinkel P, Martin SL, Jani A, et al. Obesity (Silver Spring), 2013
- Evolutionary history and metabolic insights of ancient mammalian uricases (opens in a new tab)
Kratzer JT, Lanaspa MA, Murphy MN, Cicerchi C, Johnson RJ, et al. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 2014
- Fructokinase activity mediates dehydration-induced renal injury (opens in a new tab)
Roncal Jimenez CA, Ishimoto T, Lanaspa MA, Rivard CJ, Johnson RJ, et al. Kidney Int, 2014
- Endogenous fructose production and fructokinase activation mediate renal injury in diabetic nephropathy (opens in a new tab)
Lanaspa MA, Ishimoto T, Cicerchi C, Tamura Y, Johnson RJ, et al. J Am Soc Nephrol, 2014
- Hyperosmolarity drives hypertension and CKD: water and salt revisited (opens in a new tab)
Johnson RJ, Rodriguez-Iturbe B, Roncal-Jimenez C, Lanaspa MA, et al. Nat Rev Nephrol, 2014
- Heat Stress Nephropathy From Exercise-Induced Uric Acid Crystalluria: A Perspective on Mesoamerican Nephropathy (opens in a new tab)
Roncal-Jimenez C, García-Trabanino R, Barregard L, Lanaspa MA, Johnson RJ, et al. Am J Kidney Dis, 2016
- Uric acid in metabolic syndrome: From an innocent bystander to a central player (opens in a new tab)
Kanbay M, Jensen T, Solak Y, Le M, Johnson RJ, et al. Eur J Intern Med, 2016
- Perspective: A Historical and Scientific Perspective of Sugar and Its Relation with Obesity and Diabetes (opens in a new tab)
Johnson RJ, Sánchez-Lozada LG, Andrews P, Lanaspa MA. Adv Nutr, 2017
- Asymptomatic Hyperuricemia Without Comorbidities Predicts Cardiometabolic Diseases: Five-Year Japanese Cohort Study (opens in a new tab)
Kuwabara M, Niwa K, Hisatome I, Nakagawa T, Johnson RJ, et al. Hypertension, 2017
- Protective role of fructokinase blockade in the pathogenesis of acute kidney injury in mice (opens in a new tab)
Andres-Hernando A, Li N, Cicerchi C, Inaba S, Johnson RJ, et al. Nat Commun, 2017
- High salt intake causes leptin resistance and obesity in mice by stimulating endogenous fructose production and metabolism (opens in a new tab)
Lanaspa MA, Kuwabara M, Andres-Hernando A, Li N, Johnson RJ, et al. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 2018
- Hyperuricemia, Acute and Chronic Kidney Disease, Hypertension, and Cardiovascular Disease: Report of a Scientific Workshop Organized by the National Kidney Foundation (opens in a new tab)
Johnson RJ, Bakris GL, Borghi C, Chonchol MB, et al. Am J Kidney Dis, 2018
- Chronic Kidney Disease of Unknown Cause in Agricultural Communities (opens in a new tab)
Johnson RJ, Wesseling C, Newman LS. N Engl J Med, 2019
- Pegloticase Treatment Significantly Decreases Blood Pressure in Patients With Chronic Gout (opens in a new tab)
Johnson RJ, Choi HK, Yeo AE, Lipsky PE. Hypertension, 2019
Books
- Nature Wants Us to Be Fat (2022) (publisher page, opens in a new tab)
- The Sugar Fix, with Timothy Gower (2008) (publisher page, opens in a new tab)
- The Fat Switch (2012) (publisher page, opens in a new tab)
- Comprehensive Clinical Nephrology, 7th edition (founding co-editor, 2023) (publisher page, opens in a new tab)