NEW DELHI: Sidharth (name changed on request) was recently rushed to the hospital with a BP of 220/140 mmHg. Further tests revealed that his creatinine level was six times the normal level. The doctors were also perplexed to see an otherwise healthy young man brought in for such an emergency.

Doctors learned that Sidharth, a west Delhi-based tour operator, had been taking pre-workout supplements for four years, as advised by his gym trainer. These included caffeine, amino acids, etc., to support energy and increase endurance and muscular strength.

Sidharth said that 4 years ago, his trainer suggested him to take a pre-workout formula. This gave him a sudden boost in energy level and he could do heavy lifting for longer durations.

The 32-year-old said that he took scoops of the supplement every day for four years until the kidney was affected. He said that he found later that usually such supplements are taken for a short period or at intervals.

Dr Sunil Prakash, Director and Head of the Department of Nephrology and Renal Transplant at BLK Super Specialty Hospital, mentioned that Sidharth could have died due to brain hemorrhage if his BP hadn’t been controlled with medicines in time. He said that when Sidharth came to the hospital, his creatinine level was 6.7mg/dL against a normal range of 0.84-1.21. He was only a step away from kidney failure that would have required life-long dialysis.

Immediate withdrawal of supplements, medicine to control BP and diet restrictions pulled him out of danger. However, he will have to live with restrictions on what he can eat and the amount of exercise he can do. Kidney function cannot be restored completely and to prevent further deterioration, Sidharth has been advised to avoid street food, not to do tough exercises, and only take regular walks, said Dr Prakash.

The doctor further stated that 10% of all kidney patients in the hospital are young, who are victims of supplement overuse. He added that at least three of his patients suffered kidney damage due to prolonged use of health supplements and are on dialysis.

Dr R P Mathur, Senior Consultant and Head of Nephrology at Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences, said that one should never take pre-workout supplements or protein supplements without the advice of a doctor or a qualified professional. Due to lack of awareness, this is a growing practice and is causing health crisis among the otherwise healthy individuals.

Vikas Jain, Managing Director of Anytime Fitness, said that around 20% of men going to gyms take such supplements. Use of high protein drinks is also common. They are good if consumed under medical supervision or under the guidance of a trained professional, he added. (TNN)