If Diabetes is not well-controlled, the sugar levels in the body will go up.
High blood glucose can result in damage to many parts of the body, especially
the kidneys, heart, blood vessels, eyes, feet, and nerves. Here, we mainly talk
about the link between Diabetes and kidney disease.
Long-standing Diabetes can cause changes in small blood vessels that can
result in damage of the kidneys. This usually takes 5 to 10 years to become a
noticeable problem. Eventually, severe Renal Failure can be caused.
How can Diabetes lead to kidney failure?
The kidneys perform vital functions:
▪ Filter and remove the waste products of metabolism;
▪ Play a central role in regulating blood pressure and internal fluid
balance
▪ Produce important hormones, like erythropoietin (EPO), which can stimulate
the bone marrow to produce red blood cells.
Long-standing high blood glucose levels destroys the kidneys' ability to
eliminate toxins and wastes from the blood stream. The glucose molecule is
bigger than the molecules that the kidneys are supposed to filter. As glucose is
forced into the urine, the filtering mechanism is impaired.
As a result, the kidneys lose their ability to filter macromolecules. Over
time, the damage will become quite serious, and waste products will accumulate
within the body. In this case, people will show high levels of creatinine and
BUN.
How to treat Diabetes kidney disease and slow kidney damage?
Here are some useful suggestions:
* Keeping blood glucose levels in an optimum range to halt or slow down
kidney damage;
* Maintain a normal blood pressure (<130/80);
* Have a good control of cholesterol level;
* Eat a low-fat diet and limit the intake of sodium;
* Do regular exercise;
* Quit smoking or using tobacco products.