An excessive amount of glucose, or blood sugar in Diabetes can damage the
membrane and lead to elevated blood pressure. This increase of blood pressure
causes the kidneys to filter too much blood, overworking and damaging the
nephrons - functional units of the kidneys. This condition is known as Diabetic
Kidney Disease. The kidneys' inability to function properly may lead to the
presence of symptoms. Here, we mainly talk about excessive fatigue in Diabetic Nephropathy.
Symptoms of this disorder usually do not appear until 80 percent of the
kidneys have been damaged. When they do appear, symptoms often include excessive
fatigue. It is an abnormal level of tiredness, and patients will feel tired from
time to time. What are the causes?
Nephrons act as the functional units of the kidney, which consist of a
capillary network called glomeruli. Glomeruli filter waste products from the
blood, control blood pressure, regulate electrolytes, secrete hormones like
erythropoietin (EPO), and produce urine.
Symptoms such as excessive fatigue may be related to the kidneys' inability
to effectively regulate the production of red blood cells, thus leading to
anemia. Anemia is diagnosed based on the blood test result of decreased red
blood cells count.
The kidneys release a hormone, EPO, to stimulate bone marrow's production of
red blood cells. Due to the presence of Diabetic Kidney Disease, the kidneys
produce less EPO, causing a decrease of red blood cell production.
Red blood cells consist a protein, hemoglobin, which can bind oxygen and
carried it to the body's cells. With a decreased number of red blood cells,
people have less capacity to take oxygen from the lungs and deliver it to the
heart and muscles, so patients have less energy to perform the usual
activities.
In general, Diabetic Kidney Disease patients with severe damage of kidney
function will experience excessive fatigue. Recognizing the cause of the
symptom, we can take corresponding treatment to block further kidney damage and
improve renal function. Then, we can solve this problem fundamentally.