Increasing rate of young people with kidney failure
According to statistics from the Ministry of Health , there are currently 8.7 million adults in Vietnam with chronic kidney disease, accounting for 12.8% of the population. Vietnam currently has more than 400 hemodialysis units and provides dialysis services to about 30,000 patients with end-stage renal disease each year, but only meets 30% of the needs of patients needing dialysis nationwide. In recent years, the number of cases of end-stage renal failure in young people (20-40 years old) has been increasing alarmingly. At the Nephrology Clinic of Binh Dan Hospital (HCMC), about 1/3 of patients coming for examination and treatment of kidney failure are under the age of 40.
According to statistics from the Department of Artificial Kidney, Cho Ray Hospital, is treating about 400-500 patients on regular dialysis. Every day, there are an average of 60-70 cases requiring emergency dialysis. The number of cases of end-stage chronic kidney failure is increasing rapidly, with a clear trend of rejuvenation.
Kidney failure patients during dialysis - PHOTO: LE CAM
Lifestyle is "poisoning" the kidneys
Specialist Doctor 2 Le Thi Dan Thuy, Head of the Department of Nephrology - Dialysis, Binh Dan Hospital said that the leading cause of acute kidney injury in Vietnam as well as in other countries is due to modern medicine and functional foods (accounting for 50%). If we consider the functional foods and herbs group alone, it accounts for 30% of the causes of acute kidney injury.
According to the Food Safety Law 2010, functional foods are health-supporting products, divided into 4 groups: micronutrient supplements, immune-enhancing products, products used for people with special diseases (such as diabetes...) and products with treatment support properties. The last two groups have the potential to cause side effects, especially to the liver and kidneys.
"Many people mistakenly believe that functional foods are safe, use them for a long time, and arbitrarily combine them with medication. This can lead to acute kidney failure, chronic kidney failure, and even dialysis. Some common substances that are harmful to the kidneys include sibutramine (weight loss), aristolochic acid (in herbal medicine), mercury, hydroquinone (skin whitening), or sex hormones (male enhancement). Even products of unknown origin contain banned substances," Dr. Thuy noted.
Drink lots of soft drinks, eat instant noodles, stay up late
Specialist Doctor 2 Vu Le Anh - Head of the Department of Nephrology, Xuyen A General Hospital, said that in young people, unhealthy living habits such as staying up late and drinking soft drinks regularly can unintentionally negatively affect the body's immune system, causing glomerular disease, which over time leads to kidney failure.
"Because energy drinks and carbonated drinks often contain substances that are allergic to the body, when consumed regularly they will cause repeated reactions that affect the kidneys and some other organs. At this time, the kidneys excrete too much and the body is allergic, leading to nephritis," Dr. Le Anh analyzed.
In addition, staying up late disrupts the biological rhythm, leading to disruption of the body and immune system. When staying up late is repeated regularly, it will cause an abnormal immune response in the body, gradually leading to kidney-related diseases and kidney failure.
Unhealthy living habits such as staying up late and drinking soft drinks regularly unintentionally negatively affect the immune system - PHOTO: AI
Consuming a lot of fast food, unbalanced diet
Specialist Doctor 2 Nguyen Thi Diem Huong, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City - Branch 3, said that today, young people are increasingly consuming fast food, processed food, and sugary drinks. The average sugar consumption in Vietnam has increased 4 times in the past 15 years, reaching nearly 70 liters/person/year in 2023.
In addition, according to Dr. Le Anh, eating more than 2 g/kg/day of protein (equivalent to 400-500 g of meat-fish) overloads the kidneys in excreting metabolites.
However, eating too much protein is not a direct cause of kidney failure. A high protein diet causes kidney failure if a person has a pre-existing kidney disease such as glomerulonephritis, nephrotic syndrome, chronic kidney disease, etc. In this case, kidney function declines faster when eating too much protein.
Drink less water, hold your urine, over-exercise...
In addition, Dr. Ngo Thi Kim Oanh, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City - Branch 3, warned: Many seemingly harmless habits in daily life silently destroy the kidneys, especially in young people. The following behaviors cause the kidneys to work too hard, causing irreversible damage in the long run.
Drink less water : The kidneys need enough water to filter blood and detoxify. When there is a lack of water, concentrated urine can easily form stones and reduce the ability to remove waste, causing long-term kidney failure.
Frequent urination : When urine stagnates in the bladder, bacteria can easily multiply, causing urinary tract infections, even spreading to the kidneys and leading to pyelonephritis, one of the causes of chronic kidney failure if it recurs many times.
Overtraining without adequate hydration : High intensity training without adequate hydration and electrolytes can cause rhabdomyolysis, leading to acute kidney failure if not treated promptly.
Smoking and drinking alcohol : Nicotine and alcohol damage microvessels, including those in the glomerulus, causing reduced blood flow and kidney tissue damage, promoting the progression of chronic kidney disease.
According to Dr. Oanh, protecting the kidneys not only starts with a scientific diet and drinking enough water, but also with correct awareness and timely changes to seemingly harmless daily habits.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/suy-than-rinh-rap-nguoi-tre-loi-song-nao-dang-giet-chet-than-185250625094455127.htm
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