Why Can't Patients with Kidney Disease Eat Starfruit?
Disease description:
After suffering from kidney disease, I stayed in the hospital for more than a month before my condition improved. Upon discharge, I was specifically instructed never to eat carambola (star fruit). May I ask, why should kidney disease patients avoid eating carambola?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Yang Guang
Patients with kidney disease should avoid consuming carambola (star fruit) due to reasons such as triggering complications, worsening the condition, increasing the burden on the heart, and causing poisoning.
1. Triggering complications: Consuming carambola or its products may lead to a severe complication known as "carambola toxicity." This is because carambola contains a substance called "neurotoxin," which healthy individuals can effectively metabolize and excrete through the kidneys. However, patients with impaired kidney function may be unable to clear these toxins efficiently.
2. Worsening the condition: Carambola also contains renin, which may increase the burden on the kidneys of patients with kidney disease. Additionally, β-carotene may convert into excessive vitamin A within the bodies of kidney disease patients, placing stress on liver function and further aggravating kidney disease.
3. Increasing the burden on the heart: Carambola also contains relatively high levels of potassium. For kidney disease patients who need to limit potassium intake, excessive consumption may lead to hyperkalemia, further burdening the heart and potentially endangering life.
4. Causing poisoning: Patients with kidney disease have impaired kidney function and may be unable to metabolize substances in carambola normally, potentially leading to symptoms of poisoning such as numbness in the limbs, decreased muscle strength, and abnormal skin sensations.
Patients with kidney disease should avoid consuming carambola as much as possible in their diet to reduce the burden on the kidneys and prevent deterioration of their condition.
