Ratan jha

In clinical practice today, it is no longer unusual to see patients in their twenties and early thirties with kidney stones, recurrent urinary infections, or early metabolic changes that were once typically associated with later decades of life. The shift is gradual, but consistent enough to be clinically noticeable. A common thread in many of these cases is hydration, or rather the lack of it. It is rarely complete dehydration, but a sustained pattern of low water intake across the day.

High-protein diets come up almost daily in clinic conversations now. Some people arrive worried they may have harmed their kidneys after starting a fitness plan, while others are convinced protein can only help. The truth usually sits somewhere in the middle — and a little context makes the picture much clearer. In people with normal kidney function, consuming more protein does not automatically lead to kidney disease. Kidneys are built to adapt.

Step into most gyms today, and you’ll notice it’s not just about lifting weights or running on a treadmill. There’s often a dedicated space packed with protein powders, creatine jars, and colourful pre-workout blends. For many young adults, these aren’t just add-ons, they’ve become part of the routine, almost as regular as the workouts themselves. But as a kidney specialist, I've begun to see a different side of this trend, and it’s not always as healthy as it looks from the outside.