swift with a good sense. The NAFDAC advises that excessive fasting can harm kidneys.

Nigerians have been cautioned against excessive fasting by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), which claims it can cause renal damage.

On Monday, January 23, during a briefing in Abuja, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, the Director-General of the NAFDAC, said this.

She warned Nigerians to use common sense or risk losing their kidneys by going on a fast.

She also encouraged Nigerians to stop buying medicines from hawkers and street vendors.

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.”