How Supplements Can Prevent CKD

Do you feel:

• Complicated, infrequent bowel movements?
• Frequent urination?
• Poor bowel function?
• Have more than three bowel movements daily?
• Feeling that bowels do not empty completely?

If you are experiencing any of these situations, then you might want to consider supplements for your kidneys.

It is estimated that 31 million Americans have suffered from chronic kidney disease. It might be due to the misery of the production of kidney stones. It is more common that 9 out of 10 individuals have a moderate decrease in kidney function and will not even know that their kidneys are not working properly. Chronic kidney disease does not get much recognition, but it does kill more people than various cancers.

One reason that chronic kidney disease is not on people’s radar when they are getting a checkup is due to the fact that the symptoms do not appear until the disease is fully advance. When it does appear in the body, they include a range of symptoms that can stay in the body for a long time. Many of the symptoms that chronic kidney disease sends to the body are ignored by some people and when they are getting a check-up from their doctors, they are diagnosed with kidney failure. The good news is that individuals can prevent the disease’s symptoms from escalating on the body with some help from natural kidney support and a little bit of awareness.

Healthy Kidneys

The kidneys are bean-shaped organs located behind the rib cage and are on either side of the spine in the body. What the kidneys do is that they filtered out the toxins and waste and excreting it out of the body as urine. The kidneys also regulate the body’s fluid balance, the minerals balance in the bloodstream, and activating vitamin D, so that way the body can use it. The kidneys also release hormone production directly to the bloodstream and regulating blood pressure.

It is essential to take the necessary protocols to maintain a healthy kidney, especially if a person has an increased chance of developing chronic kidney disease. Factors can affect the body and can cause individuals to have a higher risk of chronic kidney disease. Some of these factors include:

• Being diabetic
• Someone in the family that has a history of chronic illnesses
• Someone having some form of cardiovascular disease
• Obesity
• Diagnosed with chronic urinary tract infections

While some of these risks are beyond a person’s control, it is crucial to adopt a couple of healthy habits as well as adding a supplement for the kidneys to prevent the spread of chronic kidney diseases and other ailments that have damaged the kidneys in the body.

Ways to Support Healthy Kidneys

When optimizing kidney health, changing lifestyle habits is highly essential. Granted that quitting smoking, moderate alcohol consumption, and increasing physical activity is beneficial for the body. Eliminating harmful factors can boost kidney health overall as well as improving a person’s diet is one of the most accessible lifestyle modifications anyone can adopt.

For decades, doctors have recommended patients with CKD is a renal diet. This diet allows the patient to limit their dietary potassium and phosphorus intake. The problem with this diet is that it reduces some of the foods that are essential to the body. This includes eliminating certain fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes and nut to prevent the patient from having their dietary supplements. Recent studies are pointing out that the Mediterranean diet or the DASH diet is the way to go for those who are with or want to prevent CKD from happening. The diets are making sure that CKD patients have minimal processed whole foods and low to moderate quantities of protein. These two food components can help support the kidneys and reduce the risk of a variety of health issues.

It is also a smart move to stay hydrated with fluids, especially drinking plenty of water, since it helps clears sodium and toxins from the kidneys and exerting it out of the body.

The Supplements for Healthy Kidneys

When a person is at risk of having chronic kidney disease or just want them to be healthy as possible, there are supplements that are excellent for playing a supportive role in helping the kidneys.

Alpha-lipoic acid

Alpha-lipoic acid is a powerful antioxidant that is made inside the mitochondria. It helps key enzymes turn into nutrients and energy for the body and this antioxidant plays another crucial role by protecting the cells from oxidative damage, especially in the kidneys. A study showed that alpha-lipoic acid produces a significant uptick in two other antioxidants, SOD (superoxide dismutase) and CAT (catalase) in kidney tissue. This can help reduce inflammation and oxidative stress in the kidneys as well as preventing kidney stones from forming.

 Andrographis

Andrographis is a kidney supporting herb that people do not think about when they are indulging in their favorite alcoholic beverage. A journal study stated that researchers found that there are two proteins this herb has. Andrographolide and arabinogalactan can help the kidneys by preventing alcohol toxicity from entering them. So for anyone that is enjoying an alcoholic beverage with some company, taking this herb before consuming an alcoholic drink will provide protection for the kidneys.

Moringa

Moringa is a superfood that comes from the leaves of the moringa tree. This plant is located in certain continents around the world. These medicinal plants have possessed the power to protect the kidneys from harmful factors that can cause them damaged. Studies have been shown that consuming moringa supplements can reverse the effects of oxidative stress damage and inflammation that are in kidneys.

NAC

As the precursor to the antioxidant glutathione, NAC or n-acetylcysteine is known as the “master antioxidant” to the body. In its own rights, NAC is protecting the kidneys from harmful factors like toxins and heavy metals. Research shows that NAC has the potential of limiting the damage caused by AGEs (advanced glycation end production) which forms when glucose is reacting with proteins found in the kidney’s blood vessel walls. The resulting damage caused by AGE includes oxidative damage that can be a contributing factor to chronic kidney disease, but proactively including NAC as part of the person’s routine to help protect the body from the harmful effects of AGEs.

Probiotics

The beneficial bacteria that are found in probiotics can do more than just enhancing the body’s gut health. With probiotics, they help protect the kidneys from the complications that are caused by CKD. Not only that, but they can decrease inflammation and stop the production of uremic toxins in the kidneys. Furthermore, probiotics can also protect the body from a leaky gut. This is a condition that is common for people that have chronic kidney disease. A leaky gut allows bacteria to leak out from the gastrointestinal tract and enter the bloodstream causing harm to not only the kidneys but the body as well. So supplementing with probiotics can not only improve the gut by restoring the good bacteria as well as reducing CKD complications.

 Resveratrol

Resveratrol is found in grapes, berries, and peanuts and can protect the kidneys from a variety of toxins that can cause inflammation. With making the headlines only a few years ago, resveratrol has heart-healthy properties and its amazing compounds can protect the kidneys from renal injuries and improves renal function once the injury has occurred.

Conclusion

With these six supplements, they can provide anyone the help they need to prevent chronic kidney disease. Even though the symptoms of chronic kidney disease do not show at a later date, individuals must add these supplements to their diet and lifestyle to prevent chronic kidney disease. Some products can help with inflammation in the body system by containing collagen-based proteins and targeting amino acids that can offer support to the gastrointestinal system.

The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, and nervous health issues or functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We use functional health protocols to treat injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our office has made a reasonable attempt to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We also make copies of supporting research studies available to the board and or the public upon request. To further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900.

References:

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Albertoni, G, and N Schor. “Resveratrol Plays Important Role in Protective Mechanisms in Renal Disease–Mini-Review.” Jornal Brasileiro De Nefrologia: ‘Orgao Oficial De Sociedades Brasileira e Latino-Americana De Nefrologia., U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2019, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=25923757.

Chauveau, Philippe, et al. “Mediterranean Diet as the Diet of Choice for Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease.” Nephrology, Dialysis, Transplantation: Official Publication of the European Dialysis and Transplant Association – European Renal Association, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 1 May 2018, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29106612.

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Xia, Q, et al. “N-Acetylcysteine Ameliorates Contrast‑Induced Kidney Injury in Rats with Unilateral Hydronephrosis.” Molecular Medicine Reports., U.S. National Library of Medicine, Feb. 2018, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=29207099.