8How Brufen and Mara Moja Could Damage Your Kidneys
A doctor explains how frequent use of certain painkillers can affect kidney function, sometimes without obvious symptoms.
A medicine people reach for to stop a headache, relieve body pain or deal with a fever could also put their kidneys at risk when used repeatedly or without proper medical guidance.
Brufen and Mara Moja are among the painkillers familiar to many Kenyans. However, their use raises an important question: could frequently taking these medicines affect the organs responsible for filtering waste from the blood?
The issue came up during a discussion on chronic kidney disease on Radio Generation, where Dr Zebunissa Bagha, a general practitioner and Chief of Medical Services at Maya Kidney Health and Specialty Hospital, explained how kidney disease develops and why people should take kidney health seriously.
Although she did not specifically discuss Brufen or Mara Moja, her explanation of kidney function highlights why medication safety matters.
How the medicines affect the kidneys
Brufen contains ibuprofen, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). While it is effective in relieving pain and inflammation, prolonged use can reduce blood flow to the kidneys.
This can interfere with their ability to filter waste from the blood and, in some cases, cause acute kidney injury or contribute to long-term kidney damage.
The risk is higher among people who take high doses, use the medicine for extended periods, are dehydrated or already have kidney problems.
Mara Moja also contains ingredients that deserve attention.
According to its manufacturer, Beta Healthcare, each tablet contains 400mg of aspirin, 200mg of paracetamol and 50mg of caffeine.
Aspirin belongs to the NSAID family, while prolonged excessive use of combination painkillers can also contribute to a condition known as analgesic nephropathy, which involves damage to the kidneys following long-term exposure to certain pain medicines.
This does not mean that taking either medicine occasionally at the recommended dose will automatically damage the kidneys. The concern is repeated, excessive or prolonged use, particularly without medical supervision.
Kidney disease can remain hidden
During the Radio Generation interview, Dr Bagha explained that chronic kidney disease can progress without obvious symptoms.
“By the time you’re getting symptoms, most of the time, especially with kidney disease, it’s a little later in the stages,” she said.
She explained that the body can compensate for declining kidney function for some time before the effects become noticeable.
Among the warning signs she identified were persistent tiredness, swollen feet, difficulty breathing and fluid accumulation in the abdomen.
The doctor also explained that the kidneys perform several functions beyond producing urine.
“Some people think all it does is help with production of urine, but it does really more than that,” she said.
The kidneys help regulate blood pressure and electrolyte levels, activate vitamin D and produce erythropoietin, a hormone involved in red blood cell production.
When should you be concerned?
People who regularly rely on painkillers to manage recurring headaches, backaches, menstrual pain or other conditions should seek medical advice instead of continually increasing their doses.
Those with high blood pressure, diabetes, existing kidney disease or dehydration need particular caution when using NSAIDs.
Kidney function can be assessed through blood tests measuring creatinine and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), alongside urine tests that check for protein.
The important message is that pain relief should not come at the expense of kidney health. Painkillers have their place in treatment, but frequent use without understanding the risks can have serious consequences.
