Watch out, some herbal products lead to kidney failures

These supplements are often unsafe for those who have a completely healthy kidney as well as patients with kidney ailments, as it leads to an increase in kidney failures.

Hyderabad: Herbal is the latest fad and the market is increasingly getting flooded with products which claim to be herbal-based and boast of healing properties. Many opt for these supplements, derived from plants, oils, seeds and flowers, under the impression that being natural, they are safe and harmless.

However, senior medical practitioners have a word of caution for those using herbal supplements or are planning to go for them. These supplements are often unsafe for those who have a completely healthy kidney as well as patients with kidney ailments, as it leads to an increase in kidney failures.

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Senior Nephrologist & Kidney Transplant Physician, Yashoda Hospitals, Dr Rajasekara Chakravarthi Madarasu points out, “just like allopathic or homoeopathic medicines, some of the herbal products are safe to use while some cause problems to the kidneys. Using these medicines regularly is not advisable especially when one has already established kidney diseases, they should prefer not to use such products.”
While these products are known to be herbal, some also contain steroids and heavy metals. One would not know what these products actually contain. “Patients who have diabetes, are hypertensive, obese individuals, those who have stone diseases or recurring infections, and those who are on long-term medications are at a risk of kidney diseases,” he says.

Two organs in the body excrete toxins, one being the liver and another the kidneys. When these products are consumed and get into the blood, they also have to be excreted through the kidneys, which is when the organ gets affected. One must avoid using herbal products unless it is prescribed and cleared for use by their doctor and also use under the doctor’s supervision. One must consult their Nephrologist when having kidney issues who will take a test before you start using these products as well as after one or two weeks to know the status of your kidneys.

Some herbal supplements can cause kidney diseases to start in a small way but increase when one continues to use them. “Patients who had a healthy kidney before came back with issues after using herbal products. And those who already had kidney issues found progressive kidney problems after using these products,” Dr Rajasekara reveals.

Meanwhile, doctors have also seen people who used these products and had no issues. It all varies from person to person and how their body reacts to these products. For a healthy person, it is always a risk to use these products as one can develop kidney diseases if the supplements or products do not suit them. And for those who have issues of health, this could end up aggravating their health and cause further complications.