Chronic Kidney Disease

Recently I came across a hot topic: according to reports, a celebrity admitted on a show to drinking protein powder long-term, and at a medical checkup his kidney condition was described as looking like that of “a 70-year-old.” The topic quickly hit the hot search lists, and the most concentrated question in the comments was—does drinking protein powder really damage the kidneys? Let me put this upfront: this is the individual’s own statement on the show/interview—an individual anecdote—and cannot be taken directly as evidence that “protein powder damages kidneys.” Moreover, old claims about this celebrity’s kidneys first appeared in a 2019 program related to his pre-marital medical checkup. According to early Hong Kong media reports (a secondary source, not yet further verified), his family explained the main causes as “years of martial arts injuries and long-term painkiller use,” not protein powder. On the same matter, the accounts given at different times differ, which in itself suggests there may be more than one cause. So this article won’t touch gossip; it will only clarify “whether middle-aged and older people should supplement with protein powder at all.” ...

“A celebrity drinks protein powder for years and ends up with kidneys that look ‘70 years old’?” This sentence has been popping up on many people’s screens over the past few days. According to the person’s own account, as covered by multiple media outlets, Xiang Zuo mentioned on a TV show that he had been drinking protein powder for a long time and that his kidney function was “overaged.” However, according to reports, as early as 2019 his family had explained on a program that this was related to multiple factors — years of injuries from martial arts training and long-term use of painkillers — and was not solely about protein powder. Let’s be clear up front: this is one individual’s self-reported case, and it cannot be taken as evidence that “drinking protein powder causes problems.” Can protein powder be consumed at all? How much per day is appropriate? And who should be careful? This article explains it all at once, to help older family members who want to supplement protein avoid detours. ...