PKD Life - Spring 2022 - 19

LEFT TO RIGHT: TEERAPONG BOONGIRD/EYEEM/GETTY IMAGES, ADAM VOORHES/GALLERY STOCK.
DON'T FIGHT
COVID-19 WITH
SUPPLEMENTS
As the COVID-19 pandemic drags
on, the internet has off ered up
many supplements as solutions.
Unfortunately, none will stop
COVID-19-and they may cause
you harm. Here's a rundown of
the most frequently mentioned
supplements-and why you
should avoid them:
WHAT MAY HARM
There are some substances that
PKD patients should avoid because
they have damaging side eff ects or
because they can build up in your
body, leading to other problems.
These include:
VITAMINS A, E, AND K
These three are fat-soluble vitamins,
which means they don't dissolve
easily and will not exit your body
through urine. Any excess you consume
has the potential to build up in
your organs, Bing says. That buildup
could lead to blood clots or kidney
damage, Gjesvold says, adding,
" These are defi nitely not worth the
risk unless you have a defi ciency. "
HERBAL SUPPLEMENTS
Many herbal supplements can be
harmful for people with PKD. Formulations
that have aristolochic acid,
found in many Chinese herbal preparations,
are especially dangerous
because they're known to cause renal
failure. Also, beware of supplements
with innocent-sounding names
like thistle or dandelion root, which
may have too much potassium.
Supplements that contain phosphorus-purslane
or feverfew, for
example-can also be harmful.
WEIGHT-LOSS,
ENERGY-BOOSTING,
OR BODYBUILDING
SUPPLEMENTS
" I'm not a fan, " Bing says. " A lot of
them are stimulants and full of caffeine, "
which in large quantities may
aff ect cyst size in the kidneys.
WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?
Deciding to add vitamins or supplements
to your routine is a complicated
matter that you should discuss
with your nephrologist, Gjesvold says.
She suggests following a varied and
healthy diet as a fi rst step to better
health. Your doctor might recommend
supplementing with a multivitamin,
which may be just enough to
help you get all that you need.
*
PKDCURE.ORG
19
ZINC. A National Institutes
of Health panel in April 2021
recommended against zinc
supplements for the prevention
of COVID-19, citing many
reasons, including that oral zinc
supplementation can decrease
the body's absorption of certain
medications. For people with
PKD, high doses of zinc can damage
the kidneys' fi ltering tubes
or cause kidney infl ammation,
says Donna Gjesvold, R.D.N., L.D.,
C.C.T.D., a registered dietitian at
Hennepin Healthcare's Kidney
Center in Minneapolis.
ELDERBERRY. At least one
study has debunked elderberry
for warding off COVID-19. The
same study also found that elderberry
can decrease the eff ectiveness
of some medications. More
concerning, elderberry has been
shown to exacerbate autoimmune
disease by stimulating disease
activity. " So, if a PKD patient
has an autoimmune condition or
has received a kidney transplant,
which requires immunosuppression
to prevent organ rejection,
elderberry could be problematic, "
Gjesvold says.
ECHINACEA. Long touted for
reducing the symptoms of the
common cold, this substance
from conefl owers can be dangerous
for people who have had
kidney transplants, as it can
stimulate the immune system
and may lead to organ rejection,
Gjesvold says.
http://www.PKDCURE.ORG
PKD Life - Spring 2022

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