What are the dietary taboos for renal cysts?

In fact, the vast majority of renal cysts do not have strict dietary taboos. Only when the cyst is too large, has affected kidney function, or is complicated by infection, renal hypertension and other complications, will the diet need to be adjusted accordingly. It is far less exaggerated than the "this can't be touched and that can't be eaten" spread on the Internet.

I just met a 36-year-old programmer in the clinic last week. A physical examination at the workplace revealed a 1.1cm simple renal cyst on one side. When I went back, I went online and told him to stop eating soy products, seafood, hair products, and even the tea eggs that he usually eats. He lost 5 pounds in half a month. When he came for a follow-up checkup, his face was full of sadness. He said he was worried that the cyst would grow bigger if he ate the wrong things. His kidney function report turned out to be normal, so I told him to eat and drink as he should without blindly restricting food.

To put it bluntly, the vast majority of simple renal cysts are benign small vesicles on the surface of the kidney. The growth rate is extremely slow. Many people have only grown less than 1cm after more than ten years of follow-up. As long as the diameter is less than 3cm, there is no discomfort such as back pain or hematuria, the kidney function is completely normal, and the daily diet is no different from ordinary people. There is no need to set so many rules for yourself.

Of course, it is not completely without contraindications. If you find that the cyst has grown to more than 5cm during follow-up, and you feel distended in your waist and abdomen from time to time, or your kidney function has been abnormal, or you even have renal hypertension or cyst infection, then you really need to eat more snacks. For example, you should try to eat as little high-salt food as possible. This does not mean that you cannot eat even a little bit of salt, but that you have to change your habit of eating pickled products and heavy-salt takeaways. Originally, cysts have occupied the space of normal kidney tissue, and kidney function has been compromised. Excessive salt intake will increase the metabolic burden on the kidneys. It also keeps blood pressure high. I used to have an aunt with multiple cysts. Her creatinine had reached 138, but she still ate pickled radish. Her blood pressure soared to 160 and could not be lowered. I went home and controlled salt for a month. When I checked again, my blood pressure was stable at around 130, and my creatinine did not rise again.

As for the "You can't eat seafood, spicy food, and soy products" that are widely circulated on the Internet, there is currently no clear clinical research that can prove that these foods will stimulate the growth of cysts. As long as you don't have gout, are not allergic to seafood, and don't have severe renal insufficiency, it is perfectly fine to eat spicy crab and drink a cup of soy milk occasionally, and there is no need to make a mistake. If you really have renal insufficiency, it’s not to stop eating protein at all. Instead, try to choose high-quality protein such as milk, eggs, and lean meat, and control the amount. Instead, don’t blindly eat those folk remedies that claim to “eliminate cysts” and health care products with unknown ingredients. Many miscellaneous ingredients must be metabolized by the kidneys. Not only will the cysts not be eliminated, but they will put extra burden on the kidneys, which is not worth the loss.

In fact, rather than worrying about what you can and cannot eat, the most important thing is to have regular kidney B-ultrasounds every year to follow up on changes in the size of the cyst. Don't let your life shrink because of a small cyst.