Does Drinking More Water Protect Or Harm Your Kidneys?

Water is the source of life, especially in the hot summer, it is absolutely impossible to live without water. But for kidney patients, drinking water is a controversial topic: some people say that drinking more water can eliminate toxins in the body and drink water even if you are not thirsty, but some people say that drinking more water will increase the burden on the kidneys.

Click to Cistanche for kidney disease

Various statements make many kidney patients confused about the issue of drinking water, so how should kidney patients drink water? Which type of patients need to limit water? Is drinking more water good for the kidneys or harmful to the kidneys?

Water is an important component of the human body

Water is a solvent for all nutrients and metabolites, directly mediating the digestion, absorption, transportation, metabolism, and excretion of the nutrients we ingest; water also maintains the activity of various enzymes in the body, promotes various biological activities and biochemical reactions, participates in redox reactions, regulates body temperature, and also acts as a lubricant, such as tears, saliva, body fluids in the joint cavity, etc.

How much water do people need every day?

Adults generally need about 3000 ml of water every day.

The main sources of water in the human body are:

Drink 1500~2000 ml of water directly every day (the Chinese Nutrition Society recommends: drinking at least 1500~1700 ml of water every day);

Water in food, about 750 ml;

Water is generated by oxidation in the body (also called metabolic water, which is the water generated by the oxidation of sugar, fat, and protein in the body. Every 100 grams of sugar can produce 55 ml of water when oxidized, every 100 grams of fat can produce 107 ml of water, and every 100 grams of protein can produce 41 ml of water. The metabolic water generated in the human body every day is about 300 ml).

The intake and excretion of water in the human body are balanced. The ways of water excretion in the human body are 1500-1800 ml of urine, about 150 ml of stool, about 400 ml of breathing, and 500~800 ml of skin. If you have a fever or sweat, more water will be discharged through the skin.

Kidneys and Water

The kidneys are the organs with the most abundant blood flow in the whole body. Their main function is to excrete metabolic waste and maintain the body's water, electrolyte, acid-base balance and internal environment stability. Normal people have 1000~1200ml of blood flowing through the kidneys every minute, accounting for 20%-25% of cardiac output. 20% of the plasma (accounting for 55% of the blood) flowing through the kidneys is filtered through the glomeruli as primary urine. The glomeruli filter about 180L of primary urine every day, which is concentrated and diluted by the renal tubules. After a series of treatments, about 1.8L of urine is finally formed. That is, 99% of the liquid filtered through the glomeruli is reabsorbed, and only 1% is excreted from the body.

Adults have about 1800ml of urine per day:

Urine volume <400mL/d is oliguria;

Urine volume <100ml/d is anuria

Urine volume >2500ml/d is polyuria

Urine volume >4000ml/d is diabetes insipidus

Under normal circumstances, the ratio of daytime urine volume to nighttime urine volume is about 2:1. If the nighttime urine volume is more than the daytime urine volume or the urine volume during sleep at night is more than 750ml, it is called nocturia.

Urine volume is affected by many factors, such as the amount of water you drink, the amount of sweating, and the state of kidney function. Drinking less water and sweating more will lead to less urine volume. On the contrary, if you drink more water and sweat less, you will have more urine. If you drink more water and have less urine volume, or even have lower limb and facial edema, your kidneys may be sick.

People produce about 600mOsm of metabolic waste every day. Even if the most concentrated urine is used for excretion, at least 500ml of "required urine volume" is required. Less than 500ml of urine means that the kidneys cannot complete the task of excreting metabolic waste on the same day. Therefore, the daily urine volume should be at least 500ml.

Patients with renal insufficiency have poor urine concentration function, and the usual urine volume is not enough to eliminate the metabolic waste produced by the body every day, and the urine volume needs to be appropriately increased.

So should patients with kidney disease drink more or less water? The general principle is "intake according to demand" and "intake according to quantity", and the amount of water intake is mainly determined by the body's needs and the amount of urine. Drink more water when the body is dehydrated (dehydrated); drink less water when the body has too much water (edema). Under normal circumstances, the daily water intake is urine volume + 500ml. If you drink a lot of soup or porridge, drink less water.

Comparison of water intake for different kidney diseases

Kidney patients drink different amounts of water according to their overall condition, different types of kidney disease, renal function status and heart function status.

1. For patients with insufficient blood volume such as less urine and yellow urine (strong tea-like) due to insufficient drinking, fever, excessive sweating, diarrhea, etc., or even low blood pressure, fast heart rate, etc., they need to drink more water and strive to keep the daily urine volume at about 1800ml.

2. For patients with urinary tract infection, urinary tract stones, hyperuricemia, after using sulfonamide drugs, mild to moderate renal insufficiency with azotemia and no edema, drink more water appropriately and keep the daily urine volume at about 2500ml to promote the excretion of urinary tract bacteria, small stones, uric acid crystals, drug crystals, and nitrogen-containing substances, and maintain renal function at a stable level.

3. For patients with normal hematuria, proteinuria and normal renal function, treat them as normal people. The daily water intake is about 2000ml, and the daily urine volume is maintained at about 1800ml.

4. If iodine contrast is used, crush syndrome, rhabdomyolysis, multiple myeloma cast nephropathy, patients who need active hydration should drink a lot of water quickly or replenish fluids, and supplement sodium appropriately, and strive to achieve a daily urine volume of 2500ml to promote the rapid excretion of myoglobin, light chains and contrast agents.

5. For patients with nephrotic syndrome (including minimal lesions, membranous nephropathy, focal segmental glomerular sclerosis, diabetic nephropathy, renal amyloidosis, etc.) with large amounts of proteinuria, lower limb or even systemic edema, pleural effusion, and ascites, try to eat less salt (sodium chloride) and drink less water. If necessary, diuretics are also needed for diuresis and to reduce swelling. The amount of water intake should be less than the amount of excretion, and strive to lose about 0.25kg (half a catty) of weight every day until the swelling is gone.

6. For patients with oliguria in acute renal failure, decreased urine volume in the late stage of chronic renal failure, anuria, and patients with large amounts of ascites due to liver cirrhosis, congestive heart failure, breath holding, and inability to lie flat at night, it is necessary to strictly "measure out what comes in", strictly limit the intake of salt and water, ensure that the weight gain between dialysis is within the allowable range, and the daily weight gain should not exceed 0.5% of body weight (within half a catty to 1 catty), and the weight gain between two dialysis sessions should not exceed 3-5% of dry body weight (within 2-3 kilograms), so as to ensure the dialysis effect.

If you drink too much water between two dialysis sessions, it will cause many hazards due to long-term excessive water load:

Hypertension, cerebrovascular events: If dialysis patients drink too much water, it will cause the body's blood volume to increase, causing excessive congestion and expansion of blood vessels. When blood flows, it will cause greater pressure on the blood vessel wall, which can then lead to increased blood pressure, which can manifest as nausea, dizziness, and other symptoms. Discomforts such as dizziness and headaches will also increase the risk of cerebrovascular accidents.

Left heart failure: If dialysis patients drink too much water, it will cause an increase in blood volume, resulting in an increase in cardiac load. When excessive blood enters the heart, it will cause greater pressure on the heart. If the pressure exceeds the heart's tolerance, heart failure and acute heart failure are likely to occur, which can be manifested as symptoms such as increased heart rate and dyspnea, accompanied by fatigue, emotional anxiety, etc. Coughing, sputum, dyspnea, and inability to lie flat may occur, which can be fatal in severe cases.

Edema: Including facial, limb, and even pulmonary edema, fatigue, and dyspnea. During the next dialysis, due to excessive water discharge, low blood pressure, muscle cramps, and pain during dialysis will occur.

In general, water is important for the human body and kidneys. Drinking less water will affect the excretion of metabolic waste, and dehydration will aggravate kidney damage. It is very important to drink enough water every day and maintain normal urine volume. If there is edema or heart failure, drink less water appropriately. Patients with uremia on dialysis should strictly control water intake.

How Does Cistanche Treat Kidney Disease?

Cistanche is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine used for centuries to treat various health conditions, including kidney disease. It is derived from the dried stems of Cistanche deserticola, a plant native to the deserts of China and Mongolia. The main active components of cistanche are phenylethanoid glycosides, echinacoside, and acteoside, which have been found to have beneficial effects on kidney health.

Kidney disease, also known as renal disease, refers to a condition in which the kidneys are not functioning properly. This can result in a buildup of waste products and toxins in the body, leading to various symptoms and complications. Cistanche may help treat kidney disease ase through several mechanisms.

Firstly, cistanche has been found to have diuretic properties, meaning it can increase urine production and help eliminate waste products from the body. This can help relieve the burden on the kidneys and prevent the buildup of toxins. By promoting diuresis, cistanche may also help Reduce high blood pressure, a common complication of kidney disease.

Moreover, cistanche has been shown to have antioxidant effects. Oxidative stress, caused by an imbalance between the production of free radicals and the body's antioxidant defenses, plays a key role in the progression of kidney disease. ies help neutralize free radicals and reduce Oxidative stress, thereby protecting the kidneys from damage. The phenylethanoid glycosides found in cistanche have been particularly effective in scavenging free radicals and inhibiting lipid peroxidation.

Additionally, cistanche has been found to have anti-inflammatory effects. Inflammation is another key factor in the development and progression of kidney disease. Cistanche's anti-inflammatory properties help reduce the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and inhibit the activation of inflammation mandatory pathways, thus alleviating inflammation in the kidneys.

Furthermore, cistanche has been shown to have immunomodulatory effects. In kidney disease, the immune system can be dysregulated, leading to excessive inflammation and tissue damage. Cistanche helps regulate the immune response by modulating the production and activity of immune cells, such as T cells and macrophages. This immune regulation helps reduce inflammation and prevent further damage to the kidneys.

Moreover, cistanche has been found to improve renal function by promoting the regeneration of renal tubes with cells. Renal tubular epithelial cells play a crucial role in the filtration and reabsorption of waste products and electrolytes. In kidney disease, these cells can be damaged, leading to damaged renal function. Cistanche's ability to promote the regeneration of these cells helps restore proper renal function and improve overall kidney health.

In addition to these direct effects on the kidneys, cistanche has been found to have beneficial effects on other organs and systems in the body. This holistic approach to health is particularly important in kidney disease, as the condition often affects multiple organs and systems. che has been shown to have protective effects on the liver, heart, and blood vessels, which are commonly affected by kidney disease. By promoting the health of these organs, cistanche helps improve overall kidney function and prevent further complications.

In conclusion, cistanche is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine used for centuries to treat kidney disease. Its active components have diuretic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and regenerative effects, which help improve renal function and protect the kidneys from further damage. , cistanche has beneficial effects on other organs and systems, making it a holistic approach to treating kidney disease.