Can people with nephrotic syndrome eat strawberries?

Written by Zhou Qi
Nephrology
Updated on January 04, 2025
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Patients with nephrotic syndrome can eat strawberries in moderate amounts. Patients with nephrotic syndrome typically have urinary protein levels exceeding 3.5g in 24 hours, along with noticeable symptoms of edema. It is essential for these patients to control their intake of water, especially those with severe edema, as excessive water intake can further exacerbate the swelling. Additionally, patients should limit their intake of plant proteins, follow a low-salt diet, and avoid heavy consumption of oils and fatty foods. From the above perspectives, it is generally acceptable for patients with nephrotic syndrome to eat strawberries in moderation. Strawberries contain very little plant protein and will not increase urinary protein levels. Although strawberries do not contain much salt, patients with nephrotic syndrome still need to consume them in moderation due to their high water content.

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Written by Zhou Qi
Nephrology
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Characteristics of Nephrotic Syndrome

The characteristic feature of nephrotic syndrome is that patients may experience edema, which is related to the nature of this disease. The essence of this disease is due to some reason that damages the glomerular capillary filtration barrier. As a result, when blood passes through the glomeruli, it leaks proteins from the blood. A 24-hour urinary protein quantification will exceed 3.5 grams, which constitutes a large amount of urinary protein. Consequently, a large amount of protein is leaked into the urine, causing the protein concentration in the plasma to decrease. This leads to a reduction in the colloidal osmotic pressure of the plasma, causing fluid to move from inside the blood vessels to outside, thus leading to edema. Therefore, the most significant clinical feature of nephrotic syndrome is the potential to cause edema, and severe cases of edema may elevate blood pressure, lead to pulmonary edema, manifesting as difficulty breathing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath.

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Written by Zhou Qi
Nephrology
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Does nephrotic syndrome easily lead to cerebral infarction?

Nephrotic syndrome is a high-risk factor for cerebral infarction, making patients prone to strokes. This is because patients with nephrotic syndrome excrete large amounts of protein in their urine, which reduces protein concentration in the plasma and disrupts the anticoagulant fibrinolysis system, leading to an increased tendency to form blood clots. These clots are prone to develop in the veins of the lower extremities and the renal veins, and cerebral arteries in the skull are also susceptible to occlusion. Therefore, in such patients, if the plasma albumin level is very low, such as below 20 grams per liter, there is a need for routine use of anticoagulant medications.

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Written by Zhou Qi
Nephrology
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Can people with nephrotic syndrome eat strawberries?

Patients with nephrotic syndrome can eat strawberries in moderate amounts. Patients with nephrotic syndrome typically have urinary protein levels exceeding 3.5g in 24 hours, along with noticeable symptoms of edema. It is essential for these patients to control their intake of water, especially those with severe edema, as excessive water intake can further exacerbate the swelling. Additionally, patients should limit their intake of plant proteins, follow a low-salt diet, and avoid heavy consumption of oils and fatty foods. From the above perspectives, it is generally acceptable for patients with nephrotic syndrome to eat strawberries in moderation. Strawberries contain very little plant protein and will not increase urinary protein levels. Although strawberries do not contain much salt, patients with nephrotic syndrome still need to consume them in moderation due to their high water content.

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Written by Wu Ji
Nephrology
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What is nephrotic syndrome?

Nephrotic syndrome is a common manifestation of glomerular disease, caused by a variety of etiologies, with large differences in treatment response and prognosis. The pathological causes of nephrotic syndrome are diverse, with the most common types being minimal change disease, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, mesangial proliferative nephritis, membranous nephropathy, and membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis. Nephrotic syndrome can be classified into primary and secondary types based on its cause. The diagnosis of primary nephrotic syndrome mainly depends on the exclusion of secondary nephrotic syndrome. Common causes of secondary nephrotic syndrome include diabetic nephropathy, lupus nephritis, renal amyloidosis, drug-induced nephropathy, and renal tumors.

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Written by Zhou Qi
Nephrology
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How to treat anemia in nephrotic syndrome?

Patients with nephrotic syndrome often do not suffer from anemia. However, if a patient has severe chronic renal failure, renal anemia may occur. Generally, renal anemia occurs when the patient's blood creatinine level exceeds 256 micromoles/liter. Treatment mainly involves the use of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents and iron supplements. If the patient does not have obvious renal failure but exhibits anemia, it is important to investigate the cause. This could include gastrointestinal bleeding, the presence of systemic diseases, or even hematological disorders. For example, lupus nephritis can cause both nephrotic syndrome and anemia. In such cases, high-dose steroids and immunosuppressants may be required as a treatment to fundamentally address the issue.