Da Zhuang, 37, started fitness 5 years ago, initially with general fitness training. But since 2 years ago, in order to make his muscles more developed, Da Zhuang started a “muscle-building” diet under the guidance of a fitness coach, eating a lot of protein every day: 7 eggs, some chicken and beef, in addition to taking protein powder And “muscle-building pills” bought online.
That is, since then, his blood uric acid has been getting higher and higher, and later it has been found that his serum creatinine has also been higher. The increase in serum creatinine means that the kidney function is declining. He was afraid, so he came to the hospital to see a doctor.
The experience of being strong is just an example among fitness enthusiasts, and it is not very common, but it is not rare for world-renowned professional bodybuilders to suffer from kidney failure.
Flex Wheeler, one of the most familiar bodybuilders to fitness and bodybuilding fans, was diagnosed with kidney failure at the age of 35 and received a kidney at the age of 38. transplant surgery. Bodybuilder Mike Morris announced his retirement at the age of 35 due to kidney failure. Bodybuilder Orville Burke, who claims to be wider than Ronnie, was rescued from complications of kidney failure at the age of 39. Bodybuilder Tom Prince suffered kidney failure at the age of 34 and later underwent a successful kidney transplant. The same goes for bodybuilder Tang Long, who was diagnosed with kidney failure at the age of 34 and later had a successful kidney transplant.
The above were all top players in the bodybuilding industry, but unfortunately they had to give up their professional bodybuilding career because of renal failure!
In these cases of kidney failure, fitness is not the main reason, but high-protein diet, taking a lot of protein powder and even drugs such as “muscle-building pills” are the root causes.
To determine whether there is a problem with renal function mainly depends on serum creatinine. Creatinine is the metabolic waste of the human body, which is mainly excreted by the kidneys. An increase in serum creatinine means a decline in renal function.
The human body’s creatinine comes from the metabolism of its own muscles on the one hand, and from the protein in the food on the other hand. Generally, every 20g of muscle can be metabolized to produce 1mg of creatinine. creatinine. The more muscle you have, the more protein you eat, the more creatinine you produce, and the heavier the burden on your kidneys. After renal failure, a low-protein diet is required to reduce the burden on the kidneys.
People who are accustomed to fitness have developed muscles and strong muscle fiber metabolism, so a large amount of creatinine is produced every day, which puts a burden on the kidneys. If you take a lot of protein at the same time, the burden on the kidneys will be worse, and it will cause kidney damage in the long run.
Nowadays, more and more young people like to exercise. Seeing these cases, many people may be discouraged from exercise, but it is not necessary. Regular exercise is a good habit, but it is best not to eat a high-protein diet or take drugs while exercising.
How much protein is safe for fitness enthusiasts to consume?
The “Reference Intakes of Dietary Nutrients for Chinese Residents” issued by China recommends the protein intake of people aged 18 to 45 as follows: from extremely light labor to extremely heavy labor, it is recommended that every kilogram per day Body weight protein intake is 1.2 to 1.8 grams. That is to say, even if you exercise excessively, the daily intake of protein should not exceed 1.8 grams per kilogram of body weight. Excessive intake of protein is not beneficial and harmful.
American Dietetic Association (ADA), Canadian College of Dietitians (DOC), American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) survey the diets of American and Canadian athletes Depending on the nutritional situation, the protein intake is usually 1.2~1.7 grams per kilogram of body weight for strength athletes, and 1.2 to 1.4 grams per kilogram of body weight for endurance athletes. From the survey results, none of these professional athletes had excessive protein intake.
I believe that many fitness enthusiasts, the purpose of fitness is for health, not to become a professional bodybuilder. If you want to pursue one-sided effects after exercising, go against the laws of health, consume a lot of protein or even “muscle-building pills” or certain drugs, etc., and thus damage your health, you will deviate from the original intention of fitness and forget the way you came.
Fitness is a good habit, just don’t be as extreme as the above-mentioned experts; fitness can increase protein intake, but don’t overdo it. Be sure to drink a lot of water while exercising and after exercising to dilute the concentration of metabolic waste in the kidneys and reduce the burden on the kidneys.
For many fitness enthusiasts, the purpose of fitness is not to go on the catwalk, but to be healthy. Therefore, don’t do any behavior that is detrimental to your health. Don’t be like the one mentioned at the beginning, the muscles are developed and the kidney function is reduced.