If any of you has kidney disease, you need to take care of your kidneys and keep them functioning at their best. That means not taking excessive amounts of certain products that may harm your kidneys.
However, some herbal supplements can be beneficial if taken carefully by chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients with a low risk of further kidney damage. Here we look at whether herbs are safe and beneficial for those with CKD and how they work in conjunction with other medical treatments.
What are the Herbal Supplements for Kidneys?
Herbal supplements for kidneys are plant-based products that may come from a single plant or a combination of several plants. However, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate them.
The main active ingredients in herbal supplements include:
- Plant extracts, such as those found in ginkgo Biloba.
- Bee products, such as those found in propolis.
How Herbal Supplements and Kidney Disease are related to each other?
Herbal Supplements and Kidney Disease are related to each other. They are not synonymous, but they also do not prevent each other from simultaneously existing or happening in the same person.
For example: if you take herbal supplements regularly because you have kidney disease (and nothing else), your kidneys will still be damaged by this treatment.
However, suppose you’re already taking other medications that cause damage to your kidneys and taking herbal supplements. In that case, you may have even more problems than when starting without medical conditions!
Are Herbal Supplements hard on kidneys?
Some herbal supplements are hard on your kidneys, while others are safe and may even help you manage kidney disease.
Some of these supplements can also be dangerous for people with kidney disease or those with a history of diabetes or high blood pressure.
Because the FDA does not regulate herbal remedies, it’s difficult to know which ones are safe for people with chronic conditions like CKD.
What Are The Most Famous Herbal Supplements for kidney diseases?
Many herbs have been used as herbal supplements for kidney disease. One of the most famous is ginseng.
Another popular herbal supplement is hawthorn, which can be used with other herbs to help treat kidney problems. Other popular supplements include dandelion, milk thistle, and turmeric (the latter are both curry types).
Do Herbal Supplements Interfere With The Absorption Of Other Medicine A CKD Patient Taking?
As with all medicines, herbal supplements can interact with other medicines. This is especially true if you’re taking more than one kind of medicine simultaneously or if your doctor has prescribed some drug that interacts with the herb you are taking.
Herbal supplements may also interfere with the absorption of other medications. For example:
Taking calcium-containing supplements may increase phosphate levels in your blood, which can significantly worsen kidney function over time.
You may have heard that calcium and phosphorus are both important minerals for healthy bones, but did you know they also play an important role in kidney health?
Calcium is important and needed to build strong bones, while phosphate helps regulate the body’s fluid balance. The two minerals should be consumed in a balanced ratio—calcium should not be taken with excess phosphorus.
Excessive amounts of this mineral can lead to high blood levels of phosphorus (hyperphosphatemia), which can cause significant damage to your kidneys over time. Taking supplements containing either one alone without the other could increase these levels even further by increasing absorption rates of both types of minerals into your bloodstream at once!
Conclusion
Herbal supplements for kidney disease are made from plants and other substances. Just as with food, herbs can harm people with low kidney function. Herbal supplements can also prevent the medication that you are taking for your kidneys from working properly.
Talk to your doctor about your prescription medicine and herbal supplements. Make sure you know if there is any interaction between these.