Excessive Fasting Can Cause Kidney Damage, NAFDAC Warns Nigerians

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

The National Agency of Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has warned that unmoderated fasting (religious) exercise could result in severe damage to the human kidney, and may lead to organ failure.

The advice was given by the Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, while addressing journalists  in Abuja yesterday.

Adeyeye said starving oneself of food and water over a long period of time could have adverse effect on the normal functioning of the kidney, which requires some level of water intake to sustain its operation.

She advised members of the public, especially those carrying out religious obligations of fasting, to do so with common sense in order to safeguard their lives.

Adeyeye spoke of the danger posed by excessive fasting to an individual’s kidney, adding that people should ensure that they drinking enough water during fasting in order not to jeopardise their health.

 According to her, “You should take enough food and water that will make your organ function. Some people will fast for 20 days or more without eating or drinking even a single cup of water. The result of this could be damageable  to the kidney because it does not have enough water to function. We need to get this information out. We have to fast with common sense if not we will damage our kidney in the process.”