Advertisements everywhere tout "nine out of ten men suffer from deficiency" and "kidney deficiency requires tonic supplements," leading many middle-aged men, exhausted by the demands of life, to attribute any mild discomfort in the lower back or knees to "kidney deficiency." Some even scour the market for kidney-tonifying health products. While kidney function naturally declines with age, certain unhealthy lifestyle habits or behaviors can also significantly contribute to kidney damage.
Four Major Kidney-Damaging "Killers" Men Must Beware Of
1. Indiscriminate Use of Kidney-Damaging Herbal Medicines
Recent clinical observations consistently reveal that consuming certain herbal medicines (including proprietary Chinese medicines) can cause kidney damage.Herbs known to harm the kidneys include: - Tripterygium wilfordii (雷公藤) - Akebia trifoliata (关木通) - Pharbitis nil (牵牛子) - Xanthium sibiricum (苍耳子) - Papaver somniferum (罂粟壳) - Aconitum carmichaeli (生草乌) - Sapindus mukorossi (使君子) - Aquilaria sinensis (青木香) - Stephania tetrandra (广防己) Among these, Tripterygium wilfordii causes the most severe kidney damage, followed by Akebia trifoliata. The kidney toxicity of Akebia trifoliata stems from its content of aristolochic acid, a substance harmful to the kidneys.
II. Abuse of Western Analgesics
Long-term or high-dose use of certain anti-inflammatory analgesics, such as analgesic tablets, indomethacin, paracetamol, and aspirin, can easily cause kidney damage.Kidney damage may manifest as fatigue, dry mouth, loss of appetite, frequent urination, urgency, painful urination, and even hematuria or sterile pyuria, accompanied by joint pain. Some cases may directly cause acute nephritis or nephrotic syndrome with glomerular necrosis. Severe cases can lead to renal failure and death.
III. Frequent Urine Retention
Some individuals delay urination for extended periods due to busy work schedules. Urine stagnating in the bladder for too long facilitates bacterial growth. These bacteria can ascend through the ureters to the kidneys, causing urinary tract infections and pyelonephritis. Recurrent infections of this type can develop into chronic infections that are difficult to cure. Patients may experience symptoms like lower back pain and frequent/urgent urination, and the condition may progress to acute uremia.
IV. Insufficient Water Intake
Prolonged dehydration reduces urine volume, increasing the concentration of waste and toxins in urine. Common clinical conditions like kidney stones and hydronephrosis are closely linked to chronic water deficiency. Adequate hydration dilutes urine, protects the kidneys, and facilitates the efficient elimination of waste and toxins.
Recommended kidney-tonifying foods:
Traditional Chinese medicine holds that "the kidneys are the foundation of innate constitution," "store essence, govern growth, development, and reproduction," and "regulate qi intake and fluid metabolism." In essence, kidney health reflects the vitality of the body's growth, development, and reproductive systems. Kidney deficiency manifests as accelerated aging. The following foods nourish and strengthen the kidneys:
Dried scallops (also known as Jiangyaozhu).Neutral in nature, sweet and salty in taste, they nourish the kidneys and replenish yin, making them ideal for those with kidney yin deficiency.
Perch, also known as flower perch or small perch. Neutral in nature, sweet in taste, it both fortifies the spleen and stomach while nourishing the liver and kidneys, strengthening tendons and bones.
Chinese yam, sweet in taste, is classified as a "superior" herb in TCM. Beyond its lung-tonifying and spleen-strengthening effects, it also benefits the kidneys and replenishes essence.Those with kidney deficiency should consume it regularly.
Goji berries are neutral in nature and sweet in taste. They nourish the kidneys and liver, enrich essence and improve vision, strengthen tendons and bones, alleviate lower back pain, and promote longevity with long-term use. They are especially beneficial for middle-aged women with kidney deficiency.
Chestnuts are warm in nature and sweet in taste. Beyond fortifying the spleen and stomach, they also strengthen the kidneys and waist, making them ideal for those with kidney deficiency-related back pain.
Walnuts nourish the kidneys and secure essence, promote urination and dissolve stones, moisten the intestines and relieve constipation, warm the lungs and calm wheezing. They are commonly used for kidney deficiency-related lower back pain and urinary tract stones.
He Shou Wu nourishes the liver and kidneys and enriches essence and blood. Medical practitioners throughout history have used it for those with kidney deficiency.Those with kidney deficiency exhibiting premature graying, weak lower back and knees, aching joints, male seminal emission, or female leukorrhea may all benefit from its consumption.
Black beans, hailed by ancients as the grain of the kidneys, are sweet and neutral in nature. Not only do they resemble kidneys in shape, but they also fortify the kidneys, invigorate the body, promote blood circulation, drain dampness, detoxify, and moisturize the skin—making them particularly suitable for those with kidney deficiency.
Black rice nourishes yin and tonifies the kidneys, fortifies the spleen and warms the liver, strengthens the digestive system, invigorates qi and promotes blood circulation, and nourishes the liver to improve vision. It helps prevent and treat dizziness, vertigo, anemia, soreness in the lower back and knees, dry cough due to lung deficiency, edema from kidney deficiency, and spleen-stomach weakness.