What causes kidney yin deficiency?
Nov 10, 2025
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Sun Lianqing
Introduction
Deficiency of kidney yin may be caused by factors such as prolonged late-night habits depleting yin, excessive fatigue damaging the kidneys, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, or hyperthyroidism. It is recommended to seek medical attention promptly, identify the underlying cause, and receive symptomatic treatment under a doctor's guidance. In daily life, include nourishing foods such as goji berries, Chinese yam, and white fungus in your diet to support yin and kidney health, and avoid spicy, drying, and heat-inducing foods. Engage in moderate, gentle exercises such as tai chi or walking.
Generally, kidney yin deficiency may be caused by factors such as prolonged熬夜 (staying up late) depleting yin, excessive fatigue damaging the kidneys, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and hyperthyroidism. It is recommended to seek medical attention promptly, identify the underlying cause, and receive symptomatic treatment under a doctor's guidance. Specific analysis is as follows:
1. Prolonged熬夜 depleting yin: Staying up late continuously consumes the body's yin fluids, preventing the kidneys from being nourished and replenished, thus leading to deficiency. Maintain regular作息 (daily routines), avoid staying up late, and ensure 7–8 hours of sleep each night to allow the kidneys to naturally restore yin fluids.
2. Excessive fatigue damaging the kidneys: Long-term overwork or intense physical activity depletes qi, blood, and body fluids, affecting the kidneys and causing yin deficiency. Arrange work and rest reasonably, avoid overexertion, rest quietly when tired, and reduce high-intensity activities.
3. Diabetes: Persistently high blood glucose consumes body fluids, leading to significant depletion of kidney yin fluids and resulting in kidney yin deficiency. Patients may follow medical advice to use medications such as metformin hydrochloride sustained-release tablets, gliclazide sustained-release tablets, and acarbose tablets to stabilize blood sugar levels and reduce fluid depletion.
4. Chronic kidney disease: Long-term inflammation damages kidney function, impairing the normal transformation and transportation of yin fluids and leading to deficiency. Patients may follow medical advice to use medications such as Jinshuibao capsules, Bailing capsules, and Liuwei Dihuang pills to protect kidney function and nourish kidney yin.
5. Hyperthyroidism: Excessive hormone secretion accelerates metabolism, consuming the body's yin fluids systemically and affecting the kidneys, thereby causing yin deficiency. Patients may follow medical advice to use methimazole tablets, propylthiouracil tablets, and carbimazole tablets to suppress hormone secretion and reduce yin fluid consumption.
In daily life, include more yin-nourishing and kidney-tonifying foods such as goji berries, Chinese yam, and white wood ear mushrooms in the diet, and avoid spicy, stimulating, and heat-inducing foods. Engage moderately in gentle exercises such as tai chi and walking, maintain a cheerful mood, minimize emotional fluctuations that consume yin, and combine these with regular作息 to gradually improve kidney yin deficiency.
