Herbal concoctions that supposedly "cleanse" the kidneys can be found all over the Internet. Many of these are marketing scam artists who are manipulating the desperation of kidney patients with pseudo-scientific language. Others are suggested by well-meaning people who have very little idea how the kidneys actually work.
Kidney Functions
Healthy kidneys do everything from regulating blood pressure, maintaining homeostasis, helping red blood cells mature and filtering blood. They remove nitrogenous waste products from muscular activity from the blood and excrete them into the urine, keeping the blood clean and healthy. Since the kidneys are self-cleaning, there is no need for additional cleansing teas.
Increasing Fluids
Many patients who are newly diagnosed with kidney disease mistakenly think that drinking more liquids, including herbals teas, will cleanse their kidneys. Increasing fluid intake does not decrease the amount of urine protein or red blood cells found in urine. This practice merely makes more dilute urine with a lower specific gravity. Consuming extra liquids makes the kidneys work harder, which is ill-advised for those who already have advanced kidney disease. Kidney patients should always consult their nephrologists for recommended fluid intake because fluid restriction is advised for patients who can no longer effectively make urine.
Unknown Ingredients
Herbal teas, especially those sold in bulk, often have limited nutritional information. In most instances there is no information about the amount of potassium, phosphorus or other elements. Given that patients with advanced kidney disease often have restricted diets, consuming herbal teas with unknown amounts of these potentially hazardous nutrients can be dangerous. Kidney patients on restricted diets should never consume a food without knowing its potassium and phosphorus content, according to the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse.
Legal Issues
One herbal practitioner named Hulda Clark had a blend of herbs that she marketed under the name "Kidney Cleanse." Convicted of practicing medicine without a license, lawsuits against Clark suggested that she had endangered the lives of many patients, according to Quackwatch.org. While Clark is no longer alive, other practitioners will no doubt take her place.
Member Comments