Doctor Chen Chun-yu, a nephrologist, shared this case on EBC's "Doctors Are Hot" program on 10/2. He emphasized the importance of managing underlying conditions and maintaining a balanced diet to protect kidney health.

The patient maintained a regular lifestyle and exercised frequently. He was shocked when his company's routine health checkup results showed his glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was only 50 points, significantly lower than the standard 90 points for people in the same age group, according to the EBC website.

Illustration: EBC

Doctor Chen explained that the human body has about two million nephrons, which cannot regenerate. Besides natural aging, factors such as diabetes, high blood pressure, environmental toxins, and prolonged abuse of painkillers accelerate the destruction of glomeruli. When the number of remaining glomeruli is too low, the body cannot effectively excrete toxins, leading to uremia and ultimately requiring dialysis to sustain life.

Through in-depth examination, Doctor Chen discovered the patient had hereditary high blood pressure but was unaware of it. The prolonged high blood pressure exerted immense pressure on the renal blood vessels, causing the glomeruli to constantly overwork, thereby accelerating damage. Doctor Chen stated that good control of chronic diseases is the first line of defense for kidney protection.

In addition to the blood pressure issue, the patient's dietary habits directly damaged his kidneys. To build muscle, he consumed large amounts of meat for protein over a long period, while minimizing vegetables, fruits, and carbohydrates. This severe nutritional imbalance caused the excess protein to create an enormous metabolic burden on his kidneys. The glomeruli had to work at double their normal capacity. Combined with the negative impact of high blood pressure, the patient's rate of kidney function decline far exceeded natural aging.

After receiving treatment, he began regular blood pressure management and adjusted his diet. He reintroduced appropriate amounts of carbohydrates, green vegetables, and fruits to reduce the protein load on his kidneys. After three months of follow-up, his glomerular filtration rate (GFR) recovered to 60 points. However, Doctor Chen noted that this was not a "regeneration" of glomeruli but rather the remaining nephrons experiencing reduced burden and operating more efficiently. Lost nephrons cannot be restored permanently.

Doctor Chen advised that a healthy appearance does not mean the kidney system is stable. To protect the kidneys, the most important thing is to manage chronic diseases well and avoid extreme diets. Exercise and protein intake are not inherently bad, but they must be done at levels appropriate for one's physical condition, and kidney function indicators should be monitored regularly to prevent unfortunate consequences.

Binh Minh (According to EBC)