The Effects of Diabetes on Your Kidneys

According to the CDC, as many as 1 in 3 diabetes patients suffers from chronic kidney disease (CKD). In fact, the most frequent cause of chronic kidney disease is diabetes. This is because people with diabetes have high blood sugar levels which cause damage to the kidneys and leads to kidney disease. It is also attributed to hypertension, which is common among diabetics and is another risk factor since high blood pressure damages the kidneys and may prevent them from working properly.

Normal kidney function
The main function of the kidneys is to eliminate waste products from our body through urine. They are small (about the size of your fist) and are shaped like beans. They are found below the rib cage pressed against the back muscles on the left and right sides.

Kidneys have two main functions: to help filter about 180 liters of blood every 24 hours and send it back to the heart and to help the body pass waste in the form of urine. They are responsible for:
• Monitoring waste removal
• Maintaining the balance of minerals and electrolytes (calcium, sodium, and potassium) in the body
• Balancing hormones
• Balancing pH of the blood
• Stimulating red blood cell production

What causes kidney disease?
Both kidneys contain millions of tiny nephrons (filters). Each of these contain blood vessels. Anything that causes damage to these nephrons and their blood vessels can cause kidney disease. The three leading causes of kidney disease are diabetes, hypertension, and atherosclerosis. Other causes include a genetic disorder called polycystic kidney disease, long-term use of medications (especially NSAIDs), and autoimmune diseases like lupus or rheumatoid arthritis.

How does diabetes affect the kidneys?
Diabetes causes harm to kidneys in one of 3 ways.
1. High blood sugar levels can damage the blood vessels in the kidneys’ nephrons by causing them to become narrow and clogged. Diabetics have fluctuating levels of blood sugar, causing the blood vessels slow or stop the filtering process that each of the millions of nephrons needs to perform. This limits the supply of clean blood circulating through the body. Without enough blood, damaged kidneys allow albumin (a protein) to pass through the filters and out through the urine.

2. Diabetes causes nerve damage. Nerves carry messages between the brain and other parts of the body. One message is to let your brain know when your bladder is full and should be emptied. When this message is not delivered, the pressure of a constantly full bladder can damage your kidneys. The effect of diabetes on the nervous system is called Diabetic Nephropathy.

3. When your bladder is not emptied, urine stays in the bladder for too long and may cause an infection because of the overgrowth of bacteria. Bacteria grows especially fast when in urine with high sugar levels. This is usually a problem only for the bladder, but it can also spread to the kidneys.

How can a diabetic keep their kidneys healthy for longer?
• Maintain a blood pressure below 140/90 or another target established by your doctor. Even if your blood pressure is in the normal range, some doctors prescribe high blood pressure medicines because research shows that these medications can slow the loss of kidney function in diabetics.
• Maintain blood sugar levels within a healthy range. This can usually be achieved through diet, but sometimes insulin or hypoglycemic pills are necessary.
• Maintain a level of physical activity that helps to regulate your blood sugar and blood pressure.
• Achieve and maintain a healthy weight.
• Test kidneys yearly if you have diabetes.
• Create a kidney-healthy diet with the guidance of a doctor or dietician if you have kidney disease. Limiting how much protein you eat (enough but not too much) can slow kidney damage. Again, this should be done under the supervision of a dietician, specifically one who specializes in kidney disease.
• Limit salt intake in order to control high blood pressure and/or swelling.
• Limit the use of NSAIDs such as ibuprofen or naproxen.
• Keep cholesterol and lipid levels in check in order to prevent further damage to larger blood vessels.

If you or someone you love is a diabetic and in need of a kidney specialist, contact Sunshine Kidney Care in The Villages today. They are located at 1400 N US Hwy 441, Suite 522. Their phone number is 352.388.5800.