The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has warned Nigerians against excessive fasting, saying that it can endanger the kidney, and even destroy it.
The Director-General of the NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, gave the warning in Abuja during a briefing on Monday.
She advised Nigerians steeped in religion to fast with common sense or pay with their kidneys.
She also urged Nigerians to desist from patronising hawkers and street-corner sellers and peddlers of medicines.
Adeyeye said: “Kidney failure, liver damage, others, I don’t know how many have died in Nigeria due to substandard medicines and unwholesome foods.
“However, we are a very religious country, Muslims and Christians, we fast a lot, and it is part of the kidney problem. Because your body has to have homeostasis balance, meaning the water level in your body must be enough to make your organs to function. Some people will fast for 10, 20 days, without drinking a lot of water. The kidney is being punished.
“Now, if you put chemicals in it, it triples in an exponential manner, with damage to the kidneys. This is because the kidney does not have enough water to dilute and filter.
“I fast but I fast with common sense. We have to fast with common sense, if not, we will pay it with our kidneys. Also, do not buy medicines from hawkers and corner stores. But medicines from pharmacies.”
