Kidney Failure - Real Hope
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a common health problem, especially in people who have diabetes or are overweight. Most people with these conditions will develop some stage of CKD in their lifetime.
Right now, there are very few treatment options for CKD. Doctors mainly try to manage the root causes—like diabetes or obesity. In more serious cases, people may need dialysis or even a kidney transplant.
However, in recent years, drug companies have started to quietly create new treatments that work in a simple way—by blocking something called aldosterone receptors (also known as mineralocorticoid receptors or MR). This is exciting for a few reasons:
People now have a real medical treatment for CKD, not just a way to manage symptoms.
It questions the advice to eat less salt. That’s because eating too little salt increases aldosterone, and high aldosterone is now linked to kidney damage.
It shows the risks of using glucocorticoid drugs (like some steroids). These drugs can activate MR and lead to problems like swelling and puffiness, as seen in people with Cushing’s disease.
Even stress can raise cortisol, a natural glucocorticoid, which might increase the risk of CKD.
... and, by the way "stress" can come in hidden forms, on your dinner plate or in your medicine cabinet, not just difficult life challenges. The first two examples are way easier to fix.
Anyhow, one of the newest approved drugs for CKD, Fineresone, works by blocking MR. But like many prescription drugs, it comes with a list of side effects—some of them serious. Side effects paradoxically include kidney function decline, as well as heart rhythm problems (related to high potassium).
Here’s the good news: there are natural options that may do the same thing with fewer risks. Two natural hormones, pregnenolone and progesterone, are known to block MR. These are available over the counter and may help even in small doses.
In fact, as we age, our levels of these hormones go down. This might help explain why CKD becomes more common with age. These hormones have been called “youthful steroids” for a reason—they help keep the body in balance.
If your kidney function is declining, reach out and let's fix that. https://www.drkleinhealth.com/contact-contact
Scientific sources:
