Possible kidney issues, GFR 35

[qbkilla]

I saw improvement in 4 weeks at 6 grams/day. I don’t remember my exact increase but my eGFR increased 10-12 points. With continuous use my eGFR is now 103 at just 3-4 grams/day. Pre-astragalus my eGFR was averaging low 70’s with my lowest at 64

Did you have protein in urine before or after taking it?

 

[mike036]

On all my tests my urine always came back negative for protein

 

[Killer.7]

I had protein in urine last year and uncontrolled blood pressure. In my 24 hour urine test I spilled just over a gram of protein. My egfr was normal range I think it was 65 back then.

Doc put me on ARB and I fixed my diet and lost weight. Last 24 hour urine test show i spilled .10 grams of protein and my GFR was 124

This was on 40 mgs of telesmartan and 4 grams of astragalus. My cystatin C results also put my egfr at 130. My EGFR based on my serum creatinine fluctuates anywhere from 61-70 based on me being "on" or "off" and hydration and overall size. I'm fairly big compared to an average person. 5'11 220 lbs lean maybe 12% or so.


Been very paranoid and cautious about kidneys and bodybuilding in general since then.

 

[qbkilla]

What is arb a blood pressure med? Glad your doing better.

 

[Killer.7]

Tele

What is arb a blood pressure med? Glad your doing better.

Telmisartan

 

[Zero2100]

Thank you Dante much appreciated

 

[DOGGCRAPP]

Dante, and those here who have utilized astragalus to increase eGfr, what sort of time scale for use is usually required to see reasonable improvements?

Thanks.

Usually 4 weeks there is an initial boost upward of gfr and lowering of creatinine (which is the somewhat more important number to pay attention to)

 

[DOGGCRAPP]

cant get vitamin shoppe astragalus in Canada. When i go to check out it tells me its a restricted item. I have access to NOW astragalus but i found it did nothing for my bloods.

I also have access to new roots, natures way and st. francis astragalus if anyone cares to chime in.

I think i noted that on this thread or another thread....I have repeatedly seen people use the NOW brand astragalus with no effect whatsoever

 

[Killer.7]

I think i noted that on this thread or another thread....I have repeatedly seen people use the NOW brand astragalus with no effect whatsoever

Yah I saw. So now im looking for an alternative that works.

 

[Knight9]

Yah I saw. So now im looking for an alternative that works.

Vitamin Shoppe brand. 500mg. 300caps.

 

[nothuman]

Astragalus can also potentially lengthen telomeres, which leads to increased lifespan

 

[Killer.7]

Vitamin Shoppe brand. 500mg. 300caps.

Read my posts please. I am in Canada. Vitamin shoppe will not ship their astragalus here.

 

[Bobik]

Read my posts please. I am in Canada. Vitamin shoppe will not ship their astragalus here.

Yes, I have the same problem in EU with Vitamin shoppe.... Now I am trying Astrag-flow from Dr Dean St. Mart. I order in the UK, but its more expensive.

 

[Flex500]

Read my posts please. I am in Canada. Vitamin shoppe will not ship their astragalus here.

Vitacost brand is awesome! I stick to their brand on most things. I had my lowest creatinine reading ever a week ago it was 1.18. I haven't had it that low since I was literally 15. I am always 1.27 (that was my previous low two years ago) to 1.55.

I have seen direct results in bloodwork from many vitacost brand products and trust them 100%. Also...quite cheap and a lot of promos.

 

[Flex500]

I think i noted that on this thread or another thread....I have repeatedly seen people use the NOW brand astragalus with no effect whatsoever

I had my creatinine close to normal (1.29-1.4) on trt with no astragalus (no protein in urine ever and normal cystatin c), however, with just 3-4 grams of astragalus a day my creatinine has gone to 1.25 to now 1.18. Cystatin C is at .68 (.62-1.18 ref range). Makes my egfr like 140+ lol.


I do have a question for you and it's just my own curiosity and nothing else...Do most of the guys you help with this make other changes? Meaning, diet, drugs, etc.? Or do they just add the astragalus and and cross their fingers? I only ask because when my creatinine ran a bit high I did things like adding (literally) 15-20 servings of fruit and veggies a day, adding a "green drink", cut protein to 1 gram per pound of bodyweight, added 30-40 minutes of cardio a day, dropped 20 pounds, etc. before astragalus that had me ad egfr of 110-120.

My point is I did all that and my actual GRF was good based on a 24 hour urine but I still made all those changes and now with the astragalus my creatinine is crazy low.

I'm just curious if you could share what kind of cycles these guys are on or how they are living or if they are still "heavy hitting" it all but just adding astragalus. I'm a TRT guy so I'm not looking for permisssion to take astragalus and cross my fingers

 

[Flex500]

Also...don't sleep on pycnogenol. Great supplement and it's in my basket of "always take". If you are trying to get some bang from it do 100mgs a day or 100mgs morning and night but you can often cut to 50mgs a day if you are on trt and such. Great overall supplement. It is an expensive one though, but worth it. Thanks Dante for that one.

 

[DOGGCRAPP]

I had my creatinine close to normal (1.29-1.4) on trt with no astragalus (no protein in urine ever and normal cystatin c), however, with just 3-4 grams of astragalus a day my creatinine has gone to 1.25 to now 1.18. Cystatin C is at .68 (.62-1.18 ref range). Makes my egfr like 140+ lol.


I do have a question for you and it's just my own curiosity and nothing else...Do most of the guys you help with this make other changes? Meaning, diet, drugs, etc.? Or do they just add the astragalus and and cross their fingers? I only ask because when my creatinine ran a bit high I did things like adding (literally) 15-20 servings of fruit and veggies a day, adding a "green drink", cut protein to 1 gram per pound of bodyweight, added 30-40 minutes of cardio a day, dropped 20 pounds, etc. before astragalus that had me ad egfr of 110-120.

My point is I did all that and my actual GRF was good based on a 24 hour urine but I still made all those changes and now with the astragalus my creatinine is crazy low.

I'm just curious if you could share what kind of cycles these guys are on or how they are living or if they are still "heavy hitting" it all but just adding astragalus. I'm a TRT guy so I'm not looking for permisssion to take astragalus and cross my fingers View attachment 120345

To be honest most of these guys are "heavy hitters" and bodybuilding is addicting to people. Most get that "oh my god my kidneys" shock and (I hope) lower the dosages initially but when the astragalus and other supps lower the creatinine, its human nature as bodybuilders to "well things are good now...back to what I was doing". I base that on most of the people I have helped are pretty elite guys who are either pro or very good amateurs. And they continue on their journey. I will say this: No amount of any supplement/change of diet/ is going to cure severe toxicity in the long run if you dont take away the culprit that is creating the toxicity in the first place. The couple guys in this thread that I alluded to in telling them "If i was you, I would do this this and this and take this all down and retire from the sport and do your best to live a long productive life instead of the 10 years this seriously bad bloodwork is telling me you have"...both competed within a year of me telling them that....so that kind of answers your question a little.

 

[DOGGCRAPP]

Also...don't sleep on pycnogenol. Great supplement and it's in my basket of "always take". If you are trying to get some bang from it do 100mgs a day or 100mgs morning and night but you can often cut to 50mgs a day if you are on trt and such. Great overall supplement. It is an expensive one though, but worth it. Thanks Dante for that one.

no problem, ive found vitacost usually has the best price on that also

 

[madg]

no problem, ive found vitacost usually has the best price on that also

Dante any supplement brand for us EU guys ?

Respect

 

[Killer.7]

when you lowered your creatinine did you also loose a little bit of muscle size and volume? Did you also come off harder anabolics? I find astragalus or not, reducing doses and compounds in conjunction with losing a little muscle size and volume reduces my creatinine anyways.

A far better measure of kidney health is a 24 hour urine test with a creatinine clearence to get a TRUE GFR + Cystatin C test. All this creatinine nonsense is for not when we are dealing with massive bodybuilders.

Again huge spikes aside, generally higherish creatinine for guys like us does not mean much.