Nearly 39 million Americans have diabetes. That means millions of Americans are also at risk of developing kidney disease.
What does that mean for you if you have diabetes—and what can you do to protect your health? Read on for the answers to some commonly asked questions about the kidneys and diabetes.
How Does Having Diabetes Affect the Kidneys?
To understand how diabetes affects the kidneys, it’s important to first have a good understanding of diabetes. Diabetes affects how the body uses glucose, its main source of energy.
Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes affect the body in different ways, but both cause glucose (or blood sugar) to remain in the blood instead of being used for energy. Having high blood sugar for a long time can cause damage throughout the body. Too much glucose in the blood damages the body’s blood vessels, including the blood vessels in the kidneys.
Think of the kidneys as a filter. Kidneys working normally are responsible for filtering your blood, removing waste from the blood and producing urine. When blood vessels in the kidneys are damaged, the kidneys are unable to properly filter out waste products, which can cause the body to retain salt and water.
This damage can lead to kidney disease—specifically, a type of kidney disease known as diabetic kidney disease or diabetic nephropathy.
Am I at Risk of Developing Kidney Disease?
People with diabetes have a much higher risk of developing kidney disease. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), approximately 1 in 3 Americans with diabetes also have kidney disease. The National Kidney Foundation breaks that number down a little more—30 percent of people with Type 1 diabetes will suffer from kidney failure, while 10 to 40 percent of those with Type 2 diabetes will.
Diabetes is considered the leading cause of kidney disease. Why is the risk so high? High blood sugar can negatively impact the kidneys in multiple ways.
When the blood vessels in the kidneys are damaged, it disrupts the normal function of the kidneys, allowing excess salt and water to build up in the blood. That, in turn, causes high blood pressure, which can also damage the kidneys. In addition, high blood sugar damages blood vessels in other parts of the body, which can cause high blood pressure.
Diabetes can also damage the nerves in your body. If the nerves in the bladder are damaged, you may not be able to sense when your bladder is full. Excess pressure in the bladder can damage the kidneys.
This damage can cause other problems as well. If your brain isn’t signaled to urinate, urine can remain in the bladder for too long, which can cause a urinary tract infection, sometimes spreading to the kidneys.
However, there is good news. You can protect your kidneys from damage with the tips below.
How Would I Know If I Had Kidney Damage?
Many people who have kidney disease don’t know they have it. It often doesn’t cause any noticeable symptoms, particularly in its early stages. As kidney damage progresses, you might begin to notice fluid buildup and swelling in the body, as well as appetite changes, digestive issues, more frequent urination, difficulty concentrating, weakness or fatigue.
Because many people who have diabetic kidney disease don’t experience any symptoms, it’s important to see your primary care provider or endocrinologist regularly.
During these appointments, your provider can use blood and urine tests to check for kidney disease. The NIDDK recommends being tested each year for kidney disease if you have Type 2 diabetes or if you have had Type 1 diabetes for longer than five years.
How Can I Protect My Kidneys?
If you have diabetes, it’s important to do what you can to protect your kidneys and your overall health. Diabetic kidney disease can affect more than just your kidneys.
In the latter stages of kidney disease, the kidneys struggle to work at all. This struggle strains the entire body, including the heart, and can lead to other health issues, such as heart disease. When the kidneys stop functioning, dialysis or a kidney transplant will be needed to take over for the damaged kidneys.
There are steps you can take to protect your kidneys:
- Keep your blood sugar under control. Talk with a medical provider about the blood sugar number you should aim for. Your provider can check your blood sugar through regular A1C testing, which looks at blood glucose over a three-month period, but you should also check it at home. Checking your blood sugar level regularly can help you know when to adjust your habits or medication.
- Control your blood pressure, too. Because high blood pressure also increases the risk of kidney damage, it’s important to keep your blood pressure in a healthy range. If your blood pressure is high, your provider may recommend taking medications to lower it.
- Talk with a medical provider about other medications. Certain blood pressure medications, including ACE inhibitors, may be recommended even if your blood pressure is normal. These medications have been shown to prevent or delay a loss of kidney function. On the other hand, your provider may recommend avoiding some medications, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, that can potentially damage the kidneys.
- Fill your plate carefully. It can be tricky to eat a diet that’s good for both controlling diabetes and protecting the kidneys. There are a few basics to follow—eat less sodium and don’t overeat foods containing phosphorus, potassium or protein. You want to get enough of those nutrients, but not too much. If you aren’t sure what foods to eat, you may benefit from talking with a registered dietitian.
- Listen to your body. If you find yourself needing to urinate more frequently or feeling pain or discomfort when urinating, check in with a medical provider promptly. It’s important to treat urinary tract infections early before they can spread to the kidneys, causing damage.
While you can’t totally negate your risk of developing kidney disease, these habits can help you lower your risk and protect your kidneys. Do what you can to keep them healthy.
More to Read
- What Should a Kidney Disease Diet Include?
- What’s the Best Kind of Exercise for Type 2 Diabetes?
- Staying Hydrated When You Have Diabetes
- Breakfast with Diabetes: What’s Best for You To Eat
Medically reviewed by Kashif M. Munir, MD.
