Patients with kidney failure undergo dialysis, a procedure in which they are connected to a machine that acts as an artificial kidney to filter digested substances out of their body. They are also required to follow a strict diet that prohibits certain foods that are easily digested by healthy people. While potassium is commonly omitted from the diets of renal patients, the mineral was not responsible for the symptoms of patients in the current study, the investigators report. All the patients were undergoing dialysis. For example, fresh star fruit was found to contain more potassium than canned fruit or bottled juice.
Further research is needed to clarify the particular characteristics.
The results support the findings of an earlier study, which documented the cases of six patients in a dialysis program who developed insomnia, hiccups, mental confusion and, in one case, died after eating star fruits or fruit juice. The authors conclude that the fruit contains a toxin that can affect the nervous system of dialysis patients. Star fruit, which originated in Southeast Asia, is sold in Taiwan from autumn to late winter. Copyright 2000 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.