Supplement to support kidney

[Hufsamor]

My latest blood work at my doctors shows that my kidneys are a bit off.
Any suggestions to supplements to help them a bit?

 

[YippeeKi YOW !!]

My latest blood work at my doctors shows that my kidneys are a bit off.
Any suggestions to supplements to help them a bit?

They didnt put you on any medication, did they? Cause that narrows the range of things that could be used for support due to potential interactions ....

If they didn't, here are a few things that could help ....

HERBS

• Turmeric and ginger .... they're cousins, so they work well together. Turmeric reduces urea, prevents inflammation in the kidneys, and helps expel waste. Curcumin stimulates the production of proteolytic enzymes, the enzymes that break down proteins, which helps metabolize uremic toxins (indoxyl sulfate and p-cresyl sulfate) which can contribute to the progression of kidney disease.
• Dandelion tea (I'm sure it works in capsule form as well) has been a folk remedy for kidneys here in the US forever and probably over your way, as well
• Nettles, another herb that's been used as a kidney cleanser and support forever ... diuretic and cleansing ...
• Burdock root, red clover, and marshmallow root are more long-used folk remedies for kidney support, and for general tonics for the entire system ... these are also diuretics (they make you pee. A lot.)
• Milk thistle (Silymarin marianum) is a well-known herbal therapeutic commonly used for liver support. It supports detoxification through enhancing liver as well as kidney and, as an added bonus, pancreatic function.
• Cordyceps lowers creatinine levels in people with chronic kidney disease, which is probably not your problem, but it also has the effect of protecting the kidneys from toxic drugs, complications of diabetes, and transplant rejection. It may also lower blood sugar.

VITAMINS ....

• B2 and B6, along with magnesium are excellent kidney cleansers, and general supporters....
• All the B-vits are critical to kidney function, because they're water-soluble and often washed out of the body before they can be fully utilized ...
• Also Vit C ....like magnesium, it's one of the Most Valued Players, practically for every organ system in your body ....
• Vit A ... this is a fat soluble vitamin, so it stays in your body longer than the B's .... dont overload on it, it can be damaging in excessively large amounts, especially to the liver and kidneys. A little goes a long way ....
• And plenty of water, which is tedious, but soooooooooo essential to everything from your brain to your colon ....

 

[junkcrap50]

Dandelion Leaf / Root and Celery (seed/leaf/root, i dunno) are the only one I know of off the top of my head. Parsley, Nettles, & Saw Palmeto also help I think. Searching online would give the best results. Most kidney supplements also are and have a dieuretic effect, so drinkning a lot of water and urination helps.

I would think that liver support & overall digestion and detox support would help so the burden is less on the kidneys. Also alkalinity in your body & blood helps.

I would also see if your uric acid and oxalate levels are not high, as those can be damaging to the kidneys.

What did he say exactly why your kidney's are a bit off? High creatitine? Any indication as to why your kidneys are worse? Some medications can be harmful/toxic, so check your current meds or if you've started a new one.

 

[Hufsamor]

They didnt put you on any medication, did they? Cause that narrows the range of things that could be used for support due to potential interactions ....

Oh, no. It’s not that off, luckily. But it’s “offer”and “offer” by each blood draw, so I’d better do something before I would need any medication

 

[YippeeKi YOW !!]

I amended my first post to include a bunch of stuff that you can take a deeper look at, but you'd already read the short version .... the long version awaits ... I hope all this is helpful !!!!

You're right ... kidneys aren't something to be messed with .... but then, I cant think of too many of our parts that are ....

 

[Hufsamor]

@junkcrap50
Thanks for your ideas! I’ll look into it.
I’ve done some googling, but I couldn’t find much.

My kidneys (and to some degrees my liver) have been vaguely off for years, but I’ve been to acupuncturists and homeopath on regular basis, and they’ve kept in in place.

It’s not so bad that my doctor will be worried, I don’t think.
I’m really high on b 12, ferritin (even tho I’m not supplementing those),
a bit high and rising on homocysteine and creatinine and so on.

 

[YippeeKi YOW !!]

I would also see if your uric acid and oxalate levels are not high, as those can be damaging to the kidneys.

What did he say exactly why your kidney's are a bit off? High creatitine? Any indication as to why your kidneys are worse?

@Hufsamor ..... these are all really good questions, and would make fine-tuning your choices a lot easier ....

 

[Hufsamor]

@YippeeKi YOW !!
Thank a lot, really appreciated.
I’ll look into the ideas I’ve got, and then read some more if a long version pops up one day

 

[YippeeKi YOW !!]

@Hufsaor ....

You might want to look at cordyceps for the creatine levels, as I mentioned in my first post to you re ptential helpers ...

 

[Hufsamor]

@Hufsaor ....

You might want to look at cordyceps for the creatine levels, as I mentioned in my first post to you re ptential helpers ...

Im not sure if I’ve missed a first post from you?
I can’t see you mentioning cordyceps anywhere?

When you mentioned I could look at the short version, I thought you where thinking of the ideas from junk crap?

 

[YippeeKi YOW !!]

Im not sure if I’ve missed a first post from you?
I can’t see you mentioning cordyceps anywhere?

You might want to refresh the page.

When you mentioned I could look at the short version, I thought you where thinking of the ideas from junk crap?

No, I actually went back and added a whole shite-load of info for you .... the cordyceps is mentioned as the last entry under HERBS ....

 

[YippeeKi YOW !!]

@Hufsamor ...

After the cancer and chemo and experimental drugs that were used in treatment, I made it a point to find ways to reduce or at least manage the damage all of that, along with the cancer itself, did to liver, kidneys, pancreas, hell .... everything in my body ... that's why the list I left you is so long.

As a matter of course, I added what I call my morning 'tea'. which is actually a mix of electrolytes and herbs, primarily GINGER, CINNAMON, AND GARLIC .... I mix that and my potassium dose, a small amount of salt, some matcha powder, 6 desiccated liver caps (yuggghhh .... awful stuff, but barely know it's there in this mix) with warm water and a little stevia for taste, and its actually quite good. I look forward to it.

I repeat the potassium later in the day if I need it, and I usually do ...

EDIT .... to add more info, like anyone's going to re-read this .... but I'll give it a try by re-tagging @junkcrap50 and @Hufsamor ... look above for the desiccated liver, like anyone wants to find that ....

 

[Hufsamor]

You might want to refresh the page.

No, I actually went back and added a whole shite-load of info for you .... the cordyceps is mentioned as the last entry under HERBS ....

There it is!!!
Wonderful
Thank you, thank you, thank you, both of you

 

[YippeeKi YOW !!]

Thank you, thank you, thank you

Oh sweetie, you're welcome !!!

And it answered a question I've wondered about forever .... if you post something, and then decide to edit it, does the original post stay on the page while you're busy changing it?

Why yes, yasssss it does !!!

Sorry for all the confusion. I went back to expand my answer, like immediately, but .....

 

[heapsreal]

My kidneys took abit of a hit a few years ago after I went through a 4 day headache/migraine spell where I just kept vomiting. After 4 days I gave up and went to the hospital. I was really dehydrated and they took blood and then gave me a total of 4 litres of IV fluid. The blood test showed my kidney function was down. Once I was hydrated it improved enough where they discharged me later that day. They advised me and sent a letter to my dr to do some regular blood work on my kidney function and get an ultra sound on my kidneys.

Following up with my GP, the ultra sound of my kidneys was good. Blood Test showed my eGFR was low at 52 the cut of is 60, so ideally we want it above 60. Prior to this 4 day vomiting spell my eGFR was 90 so they took a hit.

So the next couple of years my eGFR was in that low 50 range. I was researching to try and find something to help improve kidney function and it took awhile but found bodybuilders were using the herb astragalus to protect their kidneys when they used oral steroids. I've only heard of astragalus for the immune system and can't say it helped that much, but it's cheap to give it a try so I bought several months worth expecting it to take that long to work.

I started taking 2x500mg of astragalus morning and at night. I'd only been doing this for a few weeks when my dr wanted me to have a blood test. I was suprised at the results. My eGFR that had been in the low 50s for a couple of years was now in the low 60s and not flagged on the blood test. My creatinine was lower, which is used in the formula to calculate one eGFR and apparently that's how astragalus helps improve kidney function, by helping clear creatinine levels more efficiently.

My last blood test, my eGFR was over over 70. At the start of this year I also had another 4 day headache vomiting spell where I was in hospital where dehydration gave my kidneys a hit and eGFR dropped. In hospital though I wasn't taking my supplements but as soon as I got out I started taking them again along with astragalus. My last blood test was probably a month after that when my eGFR was 70.
So in my experience astragalus seems to protect and help regenerate the kidneys.

 

[Eastman]

Perhaps this article is helpful.

What is PRAL & How Does It Affect Kidneys?

 

[Hufsamor]

@heapsreal
What a journey!
Thanks for the tip, I’ll definitely check it out!

@Eastman
Thank you for the article!
I’ll read more thoroughly and see if I’m able to twist my diet a bit more

 

[YippeeKi YOW !!]

Perhaps this article is helpful.

What is PRAL & How Does It Affect Kidneys?

Fascinating article, thank you for posting it !!!!

 

[Carl]

They didnt put you on any medication, did they? Cause that narrows the range of things that could be used for support due to potential interactions ....

If they didn't, here are a few things that could help ....

HERBS

• Turmeric and ginger .... they're cousins, so they work well together. Turmeric reduces urea, prevents inflammation in the kidneys, and helps expel waste. Curcumin stimulates the production of proteolytic enzymes, the enzymes that break down proteins, which helps metabolize uremic toxins (indoxyl sulfate and p-cresyl sulfate) which can contribute to the progression of kidney disease.
• Dandelion tea (I'm sure it works in capsule form as well) has been a folk remedy for kidneys here in the US forever and probably over your way, as well
• Nettles, another herb that's been used as a kidney cleanser and support forever ... diuretic and cleansing ...
• Burdock root, red clover, and marshmallow root are more long-used folk remedies for kidney support, and for general tonics for the entire system ... these are also diuretics (they make you pee. A lot.)
• Milk thistle (Silymarin marianum) is a well-known herbal therapeutic commonly used for liver support. It supports detoxification through enhancing liver as well as kidney and, as an added bonus, pancreatic function.
• Cordyceps lowers creatinine levels in people with chronic kidney disease, which is probably not your problem, but it also has the effect of protecting the kidneys from toxic drugs, complications of diabetes, and transplant rejection. It may also lower blood sugar.

VITAMINS ....

• B2 and B6, along with magnesium are excellent kidney cleansers, and general supporters....
• All the B-vits are critical to kidney function, because they're water-soluble and often washed out of the body before they can be fully utilized ...
• Also Vit C ....like magnesium, it's one of the Most Valued Players, practically for every organ system in your body ....
• Vit A ... this is a fat soluble vitamin, so it stays in your body longer than the B's .... dont overload on it, it can be damaging in excessively large amounts, especially to the liver and kidneys. A little goes a long way ....
• And plenty of water, which is tedious, but soooooooooo essential to everything from your brain to your colon ....

There are different types of Cordyceps and a general recommendation about it being beneficial to the kidneys is not warranted IMO. Cordyceps Sinensis, Cordyceps CS-4 and Cordyceps Militaris all have different constituent levels.
http://www.realmushrooms.com/cordyceps-supplements-guide/

Personally I would not use Cordyceps and I refute the claims made for it in research articles. Cordyceps Militaris in particular can be very damaging to the kidneys because it contains very high levels of Cordycepin which has strong Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibiting effects. In certain medications which have COX-2 inhibiting effects they are known to be potentially harmful to kidney function. Other types of Cordyceps such as CS-4 has much lower levels but still higher than the natural type which grows in caterpillars.

Milk Thistle also as has some COX-2 inhibiting effect therefore I would advice caution when using it, especially in high doses. It causes me unpleasant kidney pain.

 

[YippeeKi YOW !!]

Everything on both my list of herbs and Vits has cautions and caveats. I posted them so that @Hufsamor would have a starting point for her research.

After the cancer and chemo and experimental drugs that were used in treatment, I made it a point to find ways to reduce or at least manage the damage all of that, along with the cancer itself, did to liver, kidneys, pancreas, hell .... everything in my body ... that's why the list I left you is so long.

I tested out pretty much everything on the list with varying degrees of success. I'm not a fan of cordyceps because it's soy based and grown on catepillars or in the lab. Ugh either way. But in spite of your stated reservations, there have been ENDLESS and numerous research papers written on its benefits, especially in the presence of kidney issues.

Ditto astragalus. I left that off the list because it's an adaptogen, which have been shown to be somewhat dicey in autoimmunity and also in M.E. But its undeniable benefits in kidney issues makes it a likely starting point for research, and I thank @heapsreal for posting that info.

The main difference between Cordyceps sinensis fungus and Cordyceps militaris lies in the concentrations of adenosine and cordycepin. Studies have shown that Cordyceps sinensis contains more adenosine than Cordyceps militaris, but no cordycepin, which is why it's the most often used form, tho expensive.

Milk Thistle IS a COX-2 inhibitor. COX-2 is an inflammatory enzyme that's often targeted with far stronger drugs than Milk THistle, altho Milk Thistle should be used carefully, following the PR mantra of "Start low and go slow..." until you've tested out its effect on you, your particular form of ME, and your system, generally.

All herbs should be approached cautiously. Everyone seems to think of them as benevolent little elves, doing our bidding, but in truth, they're powerful substances and need to be treated with respect. Im sorry that Milk Thistle caused you unpleasant kidney pain, but your information isn't helpful without knowing what the strength of the Milk Thistle you were taking was, the concentration of silybin, silychristin, and silidianin in it (its primary active ingredients), at what dosage level it caused that discomfort, and how long you'd maintained that dose before the kidney pain started.