Kidney Yang Deficiency

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the Kidney is said to “govern water.” Kidney Yang has the function of “qi transformation and steaming” (气化蒸腾, qì huà zhēng téng) of bodily fluids. If Kidney Yang is insufficient, this transformation and steaming function is weakened, leading to manifestations such as long, clear urination. Therefore, Kidney Yang Deficiency syndrome involves a pathological change in the Kidneys.

Kidney deficiency is often a chronic condition that develops over a long period. It is crucial not to seek quick results by using overly strong tonifying medicines or unknown supplements for tonifying the kidney and strengthening yang. Instead, it should be conditioned slowly and gently. Kidney Yang is also known as “Primordial Yang” (元阳, yuán yáng), “True Yang” (真阳, zhēn yáng), or “True Fire” (真火, zhēn huǒ). It is considered the root of the twelve meridians and the foundation of one’s congenital constitution.

The Kidney and the Gate of Life (命门, mìng mén) share the same Qi and are the pivot for the waxing and waning of Yin and Yang in the body. Kidney Yang governs the Yang Qi of the entire body. When this fundamental fire declines, various symptoms of Yang deficiency will emerge.

Clinical Manifestations

• Spiritual fatigue, listlessness, low vitality, and easily fatigued.

• Aversion to cold, cold limbs (in severe cases, even in summer), and a feeling of heaviness in the body.

• Soreness and weakness in the lower back and knees, cold pain in the back, and soft, weak muscles and bones.

• Decline in sexual function, impotence, premature ejaculation, and a predisposition to prostatitis.

• Long, clear urination; post-urination dribbling; scanty urination or frequent nighttime urination.

• Decreased hearing or tinnitus.

• Memory decline, lethargy, excessive dreaming, and spontaneous sweating.

• Prone to lower back pain, joint pain, osteoporosis, cervical spondylosis, and lumbar spine disease.

• Deficiency-type asthma with shortness of breath, or coughing and wheezing with phlegm sounds.

• Diarrhea in the early morning (around 5 a.m.), or constipation.

• Edema, especially below the waist and in the lower limbs.

• A dragging, distending pain in the lower abdomen that radiates to the testicles, or a shrunken scrotum that worsens with cold and is relieved by warmth.

• Hair that is prone to falling out or turning gray prematurely.

• A puffy and obese physique, or a thin and emaciated one.

• A pale, lusterless, or dark and swarthy facial complexion.

Treatment and Conditioning

• General Treatment Principle for Kidney Yang Deficiency: Warm and supplement Kidney Yang.

• Treatment Principle for Kidney Deficiency Diarrhea: Warm the Kidney and stop diarrhea.

• Treatment Principle for Kidney Deficiency Edema: Warm the Kidney and promote urination.

Dietary Advice

Individuals with a Kidney Yang Deficiency constitution should eat foods that are warm in nature. It is advisable to consume foods that have the effect of warming Yang and dispelling cold. Warm tonification is recommended over clear tonification, and one should eat foods that are higher in calories and rich in nutrients.

Foods to Avoid: Cold and raw foods, all kinds of cold drinks, and raw, cold fruits and melons should be avoided.

Dietary Therapy Reference Recipes for Kidney Yang Deficiency

• Lamb Paste (羊肉羹): Take 80g of cooked lean lamb and pound it into a paste with the back of a knife. Place it in a bowl, add 60ml of lamb broth, and a small amount of fresh ginger juice, minced garlic, cooking wine, MSG, salt, and starch. Mix well, then steam for 45 minutes. Serve hot.

• Diced Chicken with Hot Peppers (尖椒鸡丁): Cut 100g of hot peppers into thumbnail-sized pieces. Cut 60g of chicken breast into small cubes and marinate with cooking wine, salt, fresh ginger juice, and minced garlic. Stir-fry the chicken in oil until it is 90% cooked, then remove. In the same pan, stir-fry the hot peppers over high heat until they are 70% cooked. Add the chicken back in and stir-fry until fully cooked. Arrange on a plate. Make a sauce by thickening chicken broth with a little salt and MSG, and pour it over the chicken and peppers. Serve hot.

• Walnut Kernel Congee (核桃仁粥) – Suitable for constipation due to Yang deficiency: Grind 30g of walnut kernels into a paste. Add 50ml of hot water, mix well, and strain to get the juice. Cook 50g of indica rice into a congee. When the rice is soft, add the walnut juice and continue to cook until the raw, oily smell of the walnuts is gone. Serve hot.

• Glutinous Rice Congee (糯米粥) – Suitable for diarrhea due to Yang deficiency: Simmer 50g of glutinous rice in 250ml of dog meat broth over low heat until it becomes a thin paste. Add a small amount of pepper and MSG to taste. Serve hot.