How Diabetes Affects Your Kidneys And How You Can Protect Them?

Diabetes is a progressive disease that can lead to many complications, one of which is kidney disease. Also known as diabetic nephropathy, diabetic kidney disease is a serious complication of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. It affects the normal functioning of the kidneys while also adversely impacting your diabetes management. 

Early detection of kidney disease is of high importance in diabetes. If it is diagnosed at an early stage, you can treat the disease or slow down its progression. However, in most cases, diabetic kidney disease is diagnosed at a later stage, leading to kidney failure. Therefore, protecting your kidneys and preventing kidney disease is crucial if you have diabetes. 

How Does Diabetes Affect Your Kidneys?

The function of kidneys is to filter the wastes created by the protein we consume in our diet while preventing useful substances from leaving our bodies. As the blood flows through the blood vessels present in the kidneys, small molecules of these waste products squeeze out from tiny holes, whereas important substances such as proteins and red blood cells stay in the blood. But, when you have uncontrolled diabetes, this system is damaged. 

High blood sugar levels force the kidneys to filter excessive amounts of blood. This extra work puts a burden on the normal functioning of kidneys, and after a while, they start to leak and lose important proteins in the urine. Gradually, the kidneys start losing their filtering abilities, causing the waste products to build up in the blood and leading to kidney damage.  

Factors That Increase Your Risk of Getting Kidney Diseases

There are certain factors that increase the risk of getting diabetic nephropathy. Some of these are mentioned below:

• Having uncontrolled high blood sugar levels for a long time
• High blood pressure levels
• Smoking
• High cholesterol levels
• Obesity or being overweight
• Family history of diabetic kidney disease 

What Are The Symptoms Of Diabetic Kidney Disease?

There are no specific signs or symptoms of diabetic kidney disease in the earlier stages. Usually, only after the kidney stops functioning properly, you are able to see signs and symptoms of diabetic nephropathy, some of which are: 

• Uncontrolled blood pressure levels
• Protein in the urine
• Swelling in the feet, ankles, hands or eyes
• Frequent urination
• Difficulty in concentrating
• Shortness of breath
• Loss of appetite
• Fatigue
• Nausea and vomiting

How To Prevent Kidney Complications If You Have Diabetes?

Kidney disease is one of the most prevalent diabetes complications. However, you can easily prevent it by controlling your diabetes and taking some preventive measures. Even if you develop diabetic kidney disease, you can still prevent it from worsening. At earlier stages, you can treat diabetic kidney diseases with the help of diet, lifestyle changes and medications.

Some of the tips to protect your kidneys from adverse effects of diabetes are:

Regulate Your Blood Sugar Levels:

Keep your blood sugar levels controlled by taking medications on time, eating a healthy and balanced diet, exercising regularly, quitting smoking and alleviating your stress. Managing your diabetes is the key to preventing or delaying diabetic nephropathy.

Visit Your Doctor Regularly:

Visiting your doctor regularly is necessary to see how well you are managing your diabetes. It is also essential to screen for diabetes complications such as diabetic nephropathy. Early screening can help avoid dialysis or kidney transplant. 

Control Your Blood Pressure Levels:

High blood pressure level increases the risk of getting kidney disease. It can constrict and narrow down the blood vessels in your kidneys, affecting their functioning. Therefore, it is very important to monitor and regulate blood pressure levels in your body to prevent kidney damage.

Maintain a Healthy Body Weight:

Obesity is another factor that increases the risk of developing diabetic nephropathy. Therefore, you must exercise regularly and eat a healthy diet to maintain your body weight. If you need to lose weight, consult a dietitian or your healthcare team to adjust your diet and exercise routine.   

Quit Smoking:

Cigarette smoking can cause kidney damage and worsen the condition of your kidneys if you are already suffering from diabetic nephropathy. Therefore, you must quit smoking if you have diabetes. You can take the help of support groups, psychotherapists or your healthcare team to quit this habit.  

Eat a Kidney-Friendly Diet:

If you are already suffering from diabetic kidney disease, eat a diet that can help prevent further damage. Reduce the intake of salt/sodium in your diet. Also, reduce the consumption of phosphorus, potassium and protein. These are important nutrients, and therefore, cannot be eliminated completely. But you need to make sure that you have them in an optimum quantity and not take them excessively.   

Treatment For Kidney Diseases In Diabetes

Although prevention is encouraged, there is a high chance that you may develop kidney disease if you have diabetes. In this case, you must get it treated as soon as possible. There are many medications that can help you treat the disease. However, if you are at the end stage of kidney failure, in which the kidney stops functioning at all, then your doctor might recommend dialysis or kidney transplant.   

The Takeaway

Preventing kidney damage is extremely important if you have diabetes. Otherwise, it may lead to kidney disease, and in extreme cases, it can even cause kidney failure. The best ways to protect your kidneys is by controlling your blood sugar levels, regulating your blood pressure levels and maintaining healthy body weight. 

References:

1. https://www.diabetes.org/diabetes/chronic-kidney-disease
2. https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/managing/eat-well/what-to-eat.html
3. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diabetic-nephropathy/symptoms-causes/syc-20354556
4. https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/diabetes-and-kidney-failure
5. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/overview/preventing-problems/diabetic-kidney-disease
6. https://medlineplus.gov/diabetickidneyproblems.html
7. https://www.kidney.org/atoz/content/diabetes
8. https://www.kidneyfund.org/prevention/are-you-at-risk/diabetes.html