The kefir is came back an integral part of many refrigerators, but not just for “healthy fashion”. Actually that natural probiotic is becoming increasingly important due to its potential impact on kidney health. In an environment where gastrointestinal problems are becoming more common every day and the gut microbiota is the focus of much research, fermented foods such as kefir have become an important ally.
This also helps a lot, especially considering that a certain population is already affected by bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) and other digestive disorders. This intestinal dysbiosis not only causes symptoms such as diarrhea, constipation, nausea, flatulence or fatigue, but is also associated with diseases of other organs.including the kidneys. Therefore, caring for the microbiota is not only about “better digestion”, but also about protecting important systems for cleansing toxins and regulating hydration.
In this scenario, kefir, once considered something exotic, has become a supermarket staple. It is a fermented food that can be made from cow’s, goat’s, sheep’s milk or even plant-based drinks such as soy or coconut. Its value lies in the large amount of beneficial bacteria it contains.: Not only do they contribute to the balance of intestinal flora, but they can also have an indirect and direct effect on kidney health.
A study links this pathology to intestinal dysbiosis: an increase in harmful bacteria and a loss of the intestinal barrier, allowing endotoxins and bacterial products to enter the blood more easily. Maintaining healthy flora through probiotics like kefir would help reduce this “bombardment” of pollutants that the kidneys have to constantly filter.
From there, research results are reviewed in which kefir shows specific effects. This was observed in a study in diabetics Its consumption helped reduce blood urea and creatinine levels, two key factors in kidney function. and provided some protection from the effects of excess sugar.
Other work focused on the peptides in kefir found that when fed a very high salt diet, this food prevents the kidney from forming fibers and maintains its filtration capacity, which is crucial for preventing structural damage.
In a study of cisplatin, a very aggressive drug for the kidney, it was found that kefir helped stop the cell death that this drug causes in kidney tissue. That means, It would not only have a preventative effect, but also as a possible protection against specific damage caused by intensive treatments..
Of course, much of this work was done on animal models, so experts urge caution. Nevertheless, there are data in humans that point in the same direction: A study based on thousands of people published in the journal Frontiers in Nutrition concluded that those who regularly consume probiotics are less likely to develop chronic kidney disease. Kefir belongs precisely to the group of probiotics with protective potential.
Kefir is more than just “fashionable yogurt”: a fermented food that, when consumed daily as part of a balanced diet, could help maintain a healthy microbiota and thereby reduce the risk of kidney damage and improve certain parameters in people at risk. The science is still ongoingbut what is already known suggests that caring for the kidneys may also start in the gut and that a glass of kefir a day could be part of a solution.
*By Jaider Felipe Vargas Morales
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