Recently Diagnosed or Relapsed? Stop Looking For a Miracle Cure, and Use Evidence-Based Therapies To Enhance Your Treatment and Prolong Your Remission
Multiple Myeloma an incurable disease, but I have spent the last 25 years in remission using a blend of conventional oncology and evidence-based nutrition, supplementation, and lifestyle therapies from peer-reviewed studies that your oncologist probably hasn't told you about.
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Myeloma and Kidney Therapies
Why myeloma and kidney therapies? According to research, kidney involvement occurs in up to 50% of myeloma patients. Further, because a number of conventional myeloma therapies also damage kidney function, kidney health can be as high a priority as killing myeloma is.
To be clear, kidney damage can be both a symptom as well as a side effect of multiple myeloma. Fortunately, there are many non-conventional kidney health therapies.
What are some evidence-based non-conventional kidney therapies?
1. Dietary Interventions
- Plant-Based Diets: Diets rich in vegetables, fruits, and whole grains may reduce kidney disease progression. Research shows that a plant-based diet can reduce proteinuria and slow kidney function decline, potentially due to lower acid load and reduced inflammation.
- Low-Sodium and Low-Protein Diets: Low-sodium diets help control blood pressure and reduce the burden on kidneys, while low-protein diets (typically under medical supervision) can reduce kidney workload and improve outcomes in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients.
2. Acupuncture
- Some studies suggest that acupuncture can help alleviate symptoms commonly associated with CKD, such as fatigue, pain, and nausea, especially in patients undergoing dialysis. While not a treatment for kidney disease itself, acupuncture is believed to improve quality of life and reduce some side effects of kidney disease and dialysis.
3. Mind-Body Practices
- Yoga and Tai Chi: These practices can improve overall quality of life by reducing stress, enhancing mood, and improving sleep. Studies show that yoga and tai chi may help lower blood pressure and reduce inflammatory markers, which could indirectly benefit kidney health.
- Meditation: Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) techniques have been shown to reduce stress and improve mental well-being in CKD patients, potentially helping to lower blood pressure and enhance quality of life.
4. Herbal Supplements
- Astragalus: Used traditionally in Chinese medicine, astragalus may offer some protective effects on kidney cells, with studies showing potential benefits in reducing proteinuria and improving immune function in patients with CKD. However, it should only be used under medical supervision due to possible herb-drug interactions.
- Curcumin (Turmeric): This anti-inflammatory compound has been studied for its potential to reduce inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress. Limited studies suggest curcumin might slow CKD progression, but larger studies are still needed.
- Green Tea Extract: Contains antioxidants that may help reduce oxidative stress and inflammation. Some studies suggest green tea extract could help improve kidney function markers, though more research is necessary to confirm these findings.
5. Probiotics and Gut Health
- Prebiotics and Probiotics: The gut-kidney axis is an area of emerging research, and studies show that gut health impacts kidney health. Probiotics and prebiotics may help reduce uremic toxins by promoting healthy gut bacteria, which can reduce the burden on the kidneys and improve metabolic waste elimination.
- Synbiotics: A combination of probiotics and prebiotics, synbiotics may offer added benefit for CKD patients by further reducing uremic toxins, potentially easing kidney function.
6. Omega-3 Fatty Acids
- Omega-3 supplements, particularly from fish oil, have been shown to reduce inflammation and blood pressure. Several studies have indicated benefits for kidney disease patients, including reduced proteinuria and slower decline in glomerular filtration rate (GFR).
7. Vitamin D Supplementation
- Vitamin D deficiency is common in CKD patients and can contribute to bone disease, cardiovascular complications, and immune dysfunction. Supplementation, when monitored carefully, has been shown to help maintain bone health and reduce secondary hyperparathyroidism in CKD patients.
8. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10)
- CoQ10 is a powerful antioxidant that may help reduce oxidative stress and improve mitochondrial function in kidney cells. Some studies suggest CoQ10 supplementation may reduce proteinuria and improve kidney function markers, especially in diabetic kidney disease.
9. Acidosis Management with Bicarbonate
- In CKD, metabolic acidosis is common, and supplementation with sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) can help neutralize blood acidity. Studies have shown that sodium bicarbonate may help slow the progression of kidney disease in people with CKD and low serum bicarbonate levels.
In my experience as both a cancer coach and a MM survivor, oncology focuses on treating the cancer at the expense of treating the symptom/side effect. I have found that both MM as well as its symptoms and side effects can be treated for both quality and quantity of life.
Email me at David.PeopleBeatingCancer@gmail.com if you have any questions about MM and kidney health.
Hang in there,
David Emerson
- MM Survivor
- MM Cancer Coach
- Director PeopleBeatingCancer
Fasting-Mimicking Diet May Restore Kidney Function
A fasting-mimicking diet (FMD) restored kidney function in a rodent model and promoted renoprotection in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) by reducing proteinuria and improving endothelial function, new research shows.
METHODOLOGY:
- Researchers developed and fed CKD animal models a low-salt FMD equivalent to the recommended daily intake for human patients with stage-III CKD.
- The 13 clinical trial participants ate a plant-based diet consisting of proprietary formulations of vegetable-based soups, energy bars, energy drinks, chip snacks, tea, and a supplement providing high minerals, vitamins, and essential fatty acids for 5 days per month for 3 months.
- For the clinical trial, the researchers evaluated physiological markers before and after study completion, as well as during the study and, for some parameters, a year after the end of the intervention; examinations included body composition, serum level of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), inflammation and oxidative stress markers, cardiovascular and endothelial risk factors renal function markers, regenerative markers (circulating stem cells), and psychocognitive evaluation.
- Various metabolic parameters were measured in the rodents.
TAKEAWAY:
- Six cycles of the proprietary low-salt FMD slowed the deterioration of kidney structures and function in rodents, leading to a significant reduction in the albumin-to-creatine ratio and blood urea nitrogen at 4 and 6 weeks after the diet cycles, as well as a significant reduction in glomerular and tubular injury.
- In the clinical trial, the FMD ameliorated renal dysfunction, improved proteinuria, and reduced inflammation.
- Taken together, these preliminary results support the feasibility of FMD and the need for large randomized trials to test whether humans will also benefit from the diet’s disease-reversing and regenerative effects.
IN PRACTICE:
The pilot clinical study results showed that the FMD maintains lean muscle mass and is well tolerated in patients with stage-III CKD, the authors wrote. The trial also “provides initial evidence for the effect of FMD cycles in stabilizing kidney disease and, in some cases, inducing a moderate amelioration of renal function for at least 1 year.”
myeloma and kidney therapies myeloma and kidney therapies