Will flax seeds help lower the creatinine level?

[pusanchez1]

I am diagnosed for 1.9 creatinine, + prutinuria and eGFR @27 or third stage CKD. I am trying to ease out my heart with flax seeds. Will it help?

[MAS_Nurse]

Hi Pusanchez1,

Welcome to our community. This is an interesting question and maybe someone in the community may have the answer. As far as I know, there is no information or strong evidence to suggest that Flax seeds help CKD. Flax seeds are recommended in irritable bowel syndrome. But there's not a lot of sound information online to support the use of flax seeds for cardiac or kidney health. I am not an expert on herbal treatments. However, with certain herbal remedies e.g. St John's Wort caution is given as it can interact with statins or immunosuppressants. You might find this information helpful and click through to the OTC medicines (over-the-counter) page:

Kidney Care UK: kidneycareuk.org/about-kidn...

Keep in touch. Ok, folks please pop by and welcome this new member on board.

Best wishes,

MAS Nurse and Moderator

[pusanchez1 in reply to MAS_Nurse]

Thanks for facilitating this...

[Hidden]

Better do some reading on that and consult with a Certified Renal Dietician. Don't settle for anything less. For kidney patients, a clinical dietician just does not have the necessary knowledge. A graduate Nutritionist could be helpful too. Maybe your local health food store can point you to one.

[pusanchez1 in reply to Hidden]

Yup. Would be good to ask them food tech people. Thanks.

[RickHow]

Something does not make sense. Perhaps a typo error. You say you are stage 3. But you say your egfr is 27. That is not stage 3. Stage 3 is egfr 30 to 59. At 27 it would be stage 4.

[pusanchez1 in reply to RickHow]

Yes, RickHow, my nephro said that is the lowest for CKD3 and towards CKD 4 already. Thanks.

[pusanchez1]

Yes, RickHow, my nephro said that is the lowest towards CKD 4 already. Thanks.

[Bassetmommer]

Hi Pusanchez,

There is no miracle cure for CKD. I have not heard about flax seed so I do what I do and Googled it. I was shocked to see how much information there is about flax seed improving creatinine levels and GFR. However, you should never take anything without checking with your doctor. There is some concern with blood clotting being slowed and it can cause bowel and other obstructions. Again, this is something your doctor can advise you on. Let us know if you continue on it if it worked for you.

flaxcouncil.ca/abstract/fla...

webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingre...

[pusanchez1 in reply to Bassetmommer]

That is right, Bassetmommer. There is no miracle cure for CKD.

[rabbit01]

Flax seeds are generally good for people with CKD and can help lower creatinine. Certainly seek out a good renal dietician if you can although my experience of them is not good. In trying to slow down progression i found that reducing consumption of animal products and going vegetarian has a good effect on reducing urea and slowed down the speed of my kidney decline. Always check with your doctor before making big changes to your diet or lifestyle.

[pusanchez1 in reply to rabbit01]

Thank rabbit01.

[Impregilo]

Hi,

Interesting question!I have stage 3b CKD and am diabetic and hypertensive.

I regularly use milled flaxseeds about a spoonful with my breakfast.

My HBA1C numbers are going downwards, in fact I am now pre- diabetic.My EGFR is stable and my BP is in normal range.

Of course I am taking medications too but I think certainly Flax seeds have contributed to my HBA1C numbers.

According to Dr Greger of “ nutrition facts org” flax seeds are good for hypertension.

Now specifically for CKD , I haven’t found any connection apart from Google but certainly it’s use hasn’t affected me adversely.

Good luck and keep searching.

[pusanchez1 in reply to Impregilo]

Impregilo, that's interesting observation. I am also into a tablespoon of flax seeds lately and in a way observed lowering of my blood sugar but still have to establish the HBA1C trend. Thanks for sharing this.

[Andreli]

Hi, inflamation is one of the key risks with CKD. Flex seed oil is one of the highest in Omega 3 essential fatty acids and potent antiinflamatory substance.

There is a lot of literature about this issue. Best regards and good luck. Andre

[pusanchez1 in reply to Andreli]

Hi Andreli, thank you.

[Zazzel]

As others have said, there is no ONE magic cure for CKD, however dietary changes can help. Flax and Fish oil are both high in Omega 3 which Andreli mentioned can help with inflammation due to the high Omega 3 to Omega 6 ratio. Omega 6 is found in many vegetable oils, thus also found in processed foods and fast foods. Omega 6 causes inflammation in the body especially if you have protein leaks (Proteinuria). So, supplementing with Omega 3 in some form has been seen in many studies to show benefits.

There are varying opinions of which to use or if you should use both regarding Fish oil and Flax. In any case, both can be high in Omega 3. If using Flax, you have several choices- you can use the pill form, oil or flax seeds. I was told by my holistic kidney doctor to use Barleans Fresh flax oil (it's organic) and keep it refrigerated. do NOT cook with it. If using flax seeds, you need to grind them in small batches to maintain the most benefit. Do not buy pre-ground as they lose their nutritional content over time and the benefit of the Omega 3. Whole seeds will generally go right through you and come out whole and you won't benefit from them. You can cook with ground flax.

Personally I supplement with both ground flax and flax oil and occasionally fish oil. You will find lots of debates over what to eat and what not to eat among patients, doctors and nutritionists. There are many paths you can take and I've seen people having success with many different approaches. Personally, I have had success with a very low meat diet, high Omega 3 consumption, low dose of Lisinopril to control proteinuria, low salt, low sugar and more whole foods, no fast foods. I'm working toward going more whole food plant based vegan to help with overall inflammation.

One thing I think we all agree on is that diet does play a key role. Water consumption is important as well as low sodium.

[pusanchez1 in reply to Zazzel]

Thank you Zazzel.

[NinaGB in reply to Zazzel]

Hi, how to you get your protein intake? If you need to consume eg 60g, what would you eat? Thanks

[Zazzel in reply to NinaGB]

If you want to see a modified vegan approach join the Natural Kidney Journey on Facebook. They outline and entire vegan modified plan. If you want to follow a more traditional approach look to websites such as DaVita.com where recipes and guidelines are given. You might want to work with a dietician for your particular needs.