Kidney disease kills.
Your kidneys are vital for removing waste from the body. Healthy kidneys filter your blood throughout the day, and the waste is then passed into your urine and flows out of the body.
However, poor kidney function can lead to serious health complications. Kidney disease is an umbrella term for conditions in which our roughly fist-sized, bean-shaped organs are unable to filter blood properly, and it causes approximately 54,000 deaths annually, according to the latest national statistics. This makes kidney disease the 10th leading cause of death in the U.S.
Kidney disease is considered a silent disease, meaning the condition can be hard to detect until it has advanced to more serious stages, says Dr. Jamie Dwyer, a practicing clinical nephrologist and associate dean for clinical research at the University of Utah Health in Salt Lake City.
Symptoms of kidney disease
Kidney disease typically doesn’t cause symptoms in its early stages. As a result, kidney disease often isn’t diagnosed until it has progressed to a late stage.
Symptoms of kidney disease that develop in late stages, called kidney failure, may include:
— Weight loss.
— Swollen ankles, feet and/or hands.
— Fatigue.
— Shortness of breath.
— Increased need to urinate.
— Blood in your urine.
— Headaches.
— Muscle aches or cramps.
What’s at stake?
Because kidney disease is a silent disease, it can progress to kidney failure before a person sees a nephrologist who can diagnose the condition through blood or urine analysis and treat it.
Those with severe kidney disease will eventually require dialysis or a kidney transplant to perform functions a healthy kidney would, like filtering waste from the blood. Dwyer notes another serious danger: Having kidney disease increases a person’s risk for heart disease, the top cause of death in America.
Risk factors for kidney disease
There are several risk factors for kidney disease, some of which benefit from intervention. Risk factors may include:
— Diabetes.
— Heart disease.
— Obesity.
— Family history of chronic kidney disease.
— Race and ethnicity.
— Inherited kidney disorders.
— Past damage to the kidneys.
— Being older than age 60.
However, not all risks can be avoided. It’s important to know your family history for kidney disease, and your race and ethnicity can also play a role.
For nearly 40% of African Americans with severe kidney disease, the development of the disease results from changes in a single gene called apolipoprotein L1 (APOL1), says Dr. Barry Freedman, a professor of internal medicine and chief of nephrology at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
He notes the majority of cases of kidney disease caused by variants in the gene encoding APOL1 were errantly blamed on high blood pressure.
How to prevent kidney failure
Although certain factors like genetic risk can’t be changed, many other contributors to kidney disease can be addressed. Your diet and lifestyle play an important role in the health of your kidneys.
Here are eight ways to keep kidneys healthy:
Manage your blood sugar levels.
Diabetes is the no. 1 cause of kidney disease in America, accounting for 44% percent of new cases, according to the National Kidney Foundation.
“High blood sugar itself is toxic to the filtering cells in the kidney,” Dwyer says.
Even prediabetes, in which a person is at higher risk for developing full-blown diabetes, can raise one’s risk of developing kidney disease. Experts say it’s important to keep blood sugar under control to prevent diabetes and to manage the chronic condition properly if already diagnosed.
Ways to better manage your blood sugar include:
— Maintaining a healthy weight.
— Eating a healthy, balanced diet.
— Aimming for foods that are low in saturated fat, trans fat, sugar and salt.
— Limiting your alcohol intake.
— Incorporating regular physical activity.
Protect your heart health.
High blood sugar, hypertension and high cholesterol round out the “big three” factors contributing to the risk of developing kidney disease, says Dr. Matthew Weir, an attending physician and head of nephrology at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore.
The same factors that can plague your cardiovascular system also tax the kidneys.
“Although we think of the kidneys as an organ, they are actually comprised of specialized capillaries or blood vessels,” Freedman explains.
Therefore, experts say if you do right by your heart — whether adopting a heart-healthy diet or lowering blood pressure and reducing cholesterol to recommended levels — you’re helping ensure your kidneys function properly.
“Lowering sodium can help many people reduce blood pressure and the negative impact that hypertension has on kidney function,” says Julie Stefanski, a family and consumer sciences editor for Goodheart-Willcox Publisher and a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Avoid chronically popping pills.
Certain medications may raise a person’s risk of developing kidney disease if taken chronically, including:
— Over-the-counter pain medications called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen.
— Proton-pump inhibitors used to treat acid reflux and peptic ulcer disease.
— Illegal drugs, such as cocaine, heroin and amphetamines.
— Prescription laxatives.
Commonly, people who take such medications without the supervision of a doctor are inclined to develop lower kidney function. You should always check with your doctor before taking medications — prescribed or OTC — and consider the effect they may have on the kidneys.
Stay up to date on routine medical care.
Many medical conditions can raise the risk of kidney disease, including chronic viral infections such as HIV and hepatitis C.
“We pay very careful attention to urologic diseases like kidney stones (and) frequent urinary tract infections, and we make sure they’re evaluated and properly treated, so they don’t lead to kidney failure,” Freedman says. “Usually they don’t, and if they’re properly treated at an early stage, they won’t.”
It’s important to seek out routine medical exams to ensure prostate health for men and gynecologic health for women. Issues ranging from prostate enlargement to tumors in the uterus, cervix or ovaries, or anything that can block urine flow — if left untreated — can affect kidney function.
Avoid smoking.
Searching for another reason to stamp out that bad habit once and for all? Look no further: Smoking is associated with a higher risk of developing kidney disease in a number of potential ways. In fact, it may directly damage the kidney.
“It causes our blood vessels to not behave normally in response to high blood pressure, and it’s associated with higher blood pressure,” Dwyer says. “So, there are many reasons why quitting smoking has potential benefits for (preventing) the development of kidney disease.”
What’s more, it’s heart-healthy to kick the habit. So you’ll lower your chances of developing three more top killers — heart disease, stroke and, of course, cancer.
Stay hydrated.
Increasing your daily intake of water helps your kidneys function well. Experts generally recommend about 9 cups of water for women and 12 cups for men daily, though you should aim for more if you exercise regularly.
“Our bodies need sufficient fluids to eliminate waste products from the body,” Stefanski says. “Hydrating well with water so that urine is pale yellow is important, especially if someone is sweating a lot. The body needs enough fluids to produce urine and sweat.”
Avoiding sugary beverages is key, as well.
“Excessive intake of cola products, iced tea and certain electrolyte drinks can contribute to kidney stones, which can interfere with kidney function,” Stefanski adds.
Limit your alcohol intake.
Consuming alcohol contributes to dehydration in the body and can impact kidney function over time.
“The kidneys have to work harder to clear the body of waste products and toxins, including alcohol,” Stefanski says. “Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol on a regular basis can contribute to a decline in kidney function.”
The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that adults of legal drinking age should either avoid consuming alcohol or consume it in moderation. The guidelines call for limiting intake to no more than two drinks in a day for men and no more than one for women, on days when alcohol is consumed.
If you consume alcohol, make sure to hydrate well before, during and after drinking these beverages.
Eat a balanced diet.
Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables is important for overall health and well-being. Incorporating particular nutrients may also help stave off kidney disease.
“Prior to the development of kidney disease, taking in beneficial amounts of potassium can help lower blood pressure and help decrease risk of kidney disease,” Stefanski says.
Stefanski recommends a plant-based diet, particularly potassium-rich foods such as:
— Dried apricots.
— Leafy green vegetables.
— Potatoes.
— Raisins.
Additionally, lowering your sodium intake is important for protecting your heart. Processed foods are a high source of sodium, which includes many foods served in restaurants.
“Cooking your own chicken, beef or turkey to use in sandwiches and salads can be a good way to lower intake of high-sodium luncheon meats, meat patties and breaded meats,” Stefanski says.
Although research has shown that healthy kidneys can handle higher amounts of protein than once thought, heavy protein consumption can still go overboard, she says. In particular, there is potential for excess protein when consuming large amounts of protein powders, bars and shakes.
How to improve kidney function
Eight ways to stave off kidney failure include:
— Manage blood sugar levels.
— Protect your heart.
— Avoid chronically taking certain medicines.
— Keep up with routine health care visits.
— Avoid smoking.
— Hydrate.
— Limit alcohol intake.
— Eat a balanced diet.
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How Can You Prevent Kidney Disease and Failure? originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 09/19/23: This story was previously published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.
