Everyone thought Mr. Li (50 years old, China), with his sturdy build and years of energetic work at his office, must be in good health. But for the past six months, he had been urinating very frequently—up to 15 times a day. His wife repeatedly urged him to see a doctor, but he just waved it off: “I’m fine. There’s nothing to worry about.”

Until one day, he suddenly collapsed right outside the bathroom door. He was rushed to the emergency room, where test results showed that his kidney function had dropped to less than 30%. Doctors concluded that he had entered the moderate stage of kidney failure.

According to data from Chinese health authorities, more than 130 million people in China suffer from chronic kidney disease. The problem is that kidney disease is silent—it causes no sharp pain and no obvious warning signs. It quietly erodes the body, and by the time it is discovered, many cases are already too late.

A man with kidney failure collapses in front of the toilet; his wife sobs: “I warned him so many times, but he wouldn’t listen” – Image 1.

At first, Mr. Li only noticed frequent urination, drowsiness, fatigue, and loss of appetite. At times, his face even became swollen. He thought these were simply “signs of aging.” In reality, they were all warning signals that his kidneys’ filtering function was silently declining.

Doctors compare the kidneys to the body’s water filtration system, filtering about 180 liters of blood every day. When this “filter core” gradually fails, toxins accumulate in the body, leading to swelling, fatigue, lack of vitality, and eventually high blood urea levels—requiring lifelong dialysis.

The most frightening consequence is that most patients only go to the hospital when they already have facial swelling, weak legs, and very little urine output. By then, treatment becomes extremely difficult.

The “culprits” that damage the kidneys are not far away: eating overly salty foods, staying up late, abusing painkillers, indiscriminately taking so-called “kidney-tonic” supplements, or believing that “I can handle it, I’m healthy.”

Not only men are affected—women, due to hormonal fluctuations, are also prone to kidney inflammation. In particular, people with high blood pressure or diabetes are at the highest risk, accounting for up to 75% of kidney failure cases.

Doctors say that simple urine and blood tests are enough to detect kidney problems early.

Warning signs that your kidneys are “knocking at the door” include foamy urine, swelling around the eyes or legs, waking up feeling exhausted, poor appetite, itchy skin, and unstable blood pressure.

Don’t be complacent.