Hey guys, well I got some sad news for myself today about a buddy of mine having kidney disease and is going to probably die without a transplant a few years down the road. Doctors say it could be from any number of things, including steroids. I can’t say conclusively, but there was a 50/50 chance my buddy was on them, and if he was it wouldn’t have been for very long. I just wanted to know what is the likeliness his kidney disease would be caused by 'roids? He’s only 20, and wouldn’t have done much if he has. Also, can anybody out there give me some advice for supplementation or nutritional strategies that might help him? His doctor won’t let him even eat protein or workout, so bodybuilding ever again is forever out of the question, which is horrible because it was a big part of his life, and pretty much defined who he was. Any help or directions would be greatly appreciated. Cheers.
The chances are almost “nil” that his disease was caused by steroids. The physicians (as they often will do) will base their conclusions on mis-information. In terms of diet and supplementation, this is one area where the Nephrologist (kidney doctors) and Nutritionist are definintely the experts and within their element. Not us. When you have very little, if any, kidney function, there has to be a VERY careful balancing act with the intake of micronutrients, fluid, sodium, potassium, Calcium and protein.I would not recommend ANY strategies beyond what the Nephrologist and Nutritionist recommend. (On a side note: I find it ironic that the Medical profession is MUCH better at the “nutrition of disease” than the “nutrition of health”…uummm…)
A friend of mine has had a kidney disorder since he was a child. Originally the doctors had told him that he would not live long but he is now 23 years old. I don’t know what kind of kidney disease your friend has but my friend will eventually need a kidney transplant but is quite healthy for the time being, though he follows a doctor recommended diet and must abstain from eating more than a little protein per day. When he was a teenager the doctors tried an experimental treatment in which he took massive doses of prednizone (a steroidal anti-inflammatory; very catabolic) to treat his kidneys and within a year, it worked. His creatinine levels had normalized and he’s been pretty good ever since. Anyway, sorry about your friend. I can only speculate, but I would imagine your friend’s kidney ailment is more genetic, though if he was predisposed to this condition the steroid use might have accelerated it’s progress. Good luck.
(1)If your friend’s renal function is already markedly affected i.e. creatinine is already above 4 or 5 (normal is <1.5) then he will probably need to restrict protein. But I recently asked a nephrologist who works at the University of Pittsburgh and he said that for mild decreases in renal function he does not restrict protein. (2)Your friend really needs to find out what caused his renal problems as it could have implications for other health areas. I would get a second opinion at a major university medical center.