Close family member has what I think is some stage of CKD; from my reading, likely CKD 3.
They insist on alternative health care only.
They are taking Ashwagandha, Triphala, Arjuna, Amla, Nattokinase, Resveratrol, Nottoginseng, Eucommia, Red Sage, Rhodiola, Cordyceps/Lion's Mane/Reishi. And a very strict diet with restricted sodium chloride. And Rick Simpson Oil cannabis.
Any advice gratefully and carefully considered.
The herbs etc. you list are not harmful to kidneys and may be mildly beneficial. Most are anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant, can't get too much of that.
There is really no medicine that helps CKD much. (Some BP meds and diabetes drugs like Farxiga (?sp) help a little, but are not routinely prescribed. There are many meds and some herbs that can harm kidneys, like ibuprofen and St. John's Wort.
Most of us try to follow a kidney friendly diet, with plenty of water, low salt, lots of fruits and veggies and nuts and beans and little to no animal protein. Just the kind of thing that naturopaths recommend.
In other words, your family member will do just fine, other than the expense and trouble of all those herbs & supplements. There is no medical treatment for CKD right now until you need dialysis or a transplant.
I tried different herbs etc. at first, but my health has improved the most from the vegan diet and more exercise. I have a friend who will only do what her naturopath says (including no vaccinations) and she is quite healthy at 80.
Thank you very much. My family are huntin' & fishin' people with frying flesh as the epitome of cookery. My CKD relative is already unconventional for our backgrounds in favouring naturopathy. So a Vegan diet isn't unthinkable. Thanks again.
I've got stage 3 CKD and no ways would I take the amount of herbs you are on. I don't believe in them. My doctor does regular 6 month blood tests to check my electrolytes. I also have epilepsy so make sure a good diet is essential. You're basically feeding your system junk.
Cheers. It's my first cousin taking them, not me, as I said.
Apologies. Thought it was you.
No worries. Cheers.
You do not say what stage you think they are. The issue with taking supplements is that most of them are junk and have junk in them. As the kidneys fail, that junk turns to toxins and can build up, Have the person go to the doctor and find out what is going on. Fried flesh as you say it is terrible in all aspects of healthy living. And yes, there are medications for helping CKD not progress. Getting on them, the earlier the better. GLP1 and Sglt-2 are all proving to be miracle drugs for CKD and heart.
What are common names of the GLP1 and Sglt-2 drugs? I don't know if I've heard about them. I just hear the ads on TV sometimes for products that are mainly diabetes drugs.
Also, do you really think all supplements are junk? I was prescribed calcium, magnesium and vitamin D years ago and have been assuming these pills are about what they claim to be. I run out for a few weeks and it shows on my labs. They also have the sticker that says they are regularly tested by a 3rd party lab. I realize that doesn't always mean squat, but they seem to do the job.
Also, I was assuming a naturopath would have information about trustworthy brands. They do study for years, I think, and take it seriously and are licensed, though I don't know what happens if a person practices naturopathy without a license. I was somewhat familiar with most of the supplements listed, many I tried myself, though I could not perceive a benefit that was worth the cost. Some, like cordyceps and natto, have mainstream research that verifies their effectiveness (assuming you get a good quality brand).
These drugs were for people with diabetes but now they are prescribing them for non-diabetics
Diabetes drugs in the GLP-1 agonists class are generally taken by a shot (injection) given daily or weekly and include:
Dulaglutide (Trulicity) (weekly)
Exenatide extended release (Bydureon bcise) (weekly)
Exenatide (Byetta) (twice daily)
Semaglutide (Ozempic) (weekly)
Liraglutide (Victoza, Saxenda) (daily)
Approved medicines in the SGLT2 inhibitor class include:
Brenzavvy™ (bexaglifloxin)
Invokana® (canagliflozin)
Farxiga® (dapagliflozin)
Jardiance® (empagliflozin)
Steglatro® (ertugliflozin)
Thank you.
There's scientific evidence supporting at least some of the supplements you've listed. For example, vitamin D. I can send links, if required.
But there's also opposition to supplements for CKD, sadly mainly without scientific evidence. When asked early on in her CKD battle, my mum's nephro simply said consider a stop/start approach without being more specific. So not much help. Also he refused to accept that vit D could've helped in her early improvement (which he'd predicted wouldn't happen!) despite it being the main change at the time.
We have no personal experience of GLP1 and/or Sglt-2 drugs like wegovy which are mainly marketed as weight loss drugs. Nor would we consider them due to their reported, serious side effects!
Thank you.
Btw we minimise magnesium supplements for mum due to some adverse reports.
Thank you.
Vitamin D, calcium, magnesium - those “supplements” are not “junk“ for sure. They are prescribed by my doctors. When my magnesium drops too low, I end up in the hospital and they have to give me IV magnesium infusion. Therefore, I take the magnesium pills.
You could not pay me any amount of money to take “alternative” herbs. They are largely unregulated.
I take very serious, powerful drugs to keep me from rejecting another person’s body part inside of me. I think I will stick to Western medicine.
Cheers. In fact I did say that Stage 3 appears to be the status.
In fact I id say that stage 3 seems the likeliest current status.
you’ll need to check each supplement individually. I doubt your general practitioner will have a clue about them. Once you’ve done that your relative should visit their doctor to see if they need blood pressure medication which takes a lot of pressure off the kidney filters meaning that she/he could stay in stage three for longer if not forever depending on their age. Red meat is an absolute no-no. Occasional piece of fish/ seafood totally fine for stage 3. Also drink plenty of water meaning two to three litres
Thank you.
Hmmm.... Often, what we think may be happening isn't the case. Or what we observe requires proof by the loved ones. I would encourage your relative to seek a doctor's direction. If your loved one doesn't want to do that, then encourage your relative to at least get the labs done, including a renal panel. Citizens in the US can simply order them up on their own from Quest or LabCorp. The cost is nominal. The relative should also get the blood pressure checked - usually that's part of the process at those two labs. Your loved one can then take the print out and blood pressure records over to a doctor to interpret or prescribe meds. Badger makes a great point. High blood pressure, along with diabetes, are the leading causes of kidney disease and failure. Both will likely require prescriptions, supplements generally don't have enough impact. As for diet, one should not go on a "renal diet" without direction from a doctor. That diet requires frequent check-ins to make sure electrolytes stay in range. If your loved one has diabetes, then different dietary considerations also go into play. Many people go into denial regarding their health or their fear of doctors is extreme. So, sadly, sometimes people wind up paying the price. Yes, adults will take the direction they want to take. We are all captains of our own boat. But the good thing is that you will know you tried.
Thank you.
Actually my mum was able to wean off a BP drug several years ago by following a Nutritional Therapy protocol and has been normotensive since🤞. There's also scientific evidence that indicates BP drugs could be damaging to kidneys so we were glad she successfully weaned off.
That's true! I used the word that "supplements generally don't..." I probably should have expanded on that. At lower levels of health issues, supplements can indeed take care of certain situations. (I knew a gentleman who also lowered his blood pressure only through exercise and diet - he took up walking and diet in a very serious way.) My concern was that if the problems are too large and require immediate action, one might need to take in natural supplements in quantities too large and/or the response could come too late to make it worthwhile. (These situations often present that way in the US, healthcare can be costly.) However, once stable, then it's possible one can wean oneself off certain prescription meds. I appreciate supplements, actually. I have many in my home, including one listed by the OP - I treat my colds sores, my stomach issues, my arthritis, my sleep issues, and more via natural means. Ironically, Mother Nature also provides the blueprint for around half of our prescription drugs. Researchers and manufacturers often simply synthesize and process that into smaller, more potent prescription meds. So yes, if one's blood pressure isn't too high, natural means do work. But I would bring out the heavy hitters if I saw blood sugars or blood pressures that are way out out of range. Hope this makes sense.
It makes sense to me. Thank you.
Actually ACE inhibitors for blood pressure have been shown to be protective of kidney decline.
Yes, Ive read those articles. My mum's nephro's view is that the risks outweigh the benefits, at least for my mum with normal BP.
Thank you.
1. Keeping blood pressure under control (eating low salt) really helps, drugs if needed and 2. eating a low protein diet. Fish protein is easier on kidneys than animal protein, and plant protein is easier than fish or land Being a vegetarian is a great thing to help your kindeys.
Anyone who thinks taking herbs will slow down kidney disease is kidding themselves. You can only slow the progression.
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