By Paige Preston
Although they are small, the kidneys play an essential role in keeping the body running. The main function of the kidneys is to filter waste, toxins, and excess water out of the blood through urine. However, they play a critical role in regulating blood pressure, stimulating the production of red blood cells, maintaining bone health, as well as maintaining blood pH.
Chronic Kidney Disease includes conditions that decrease normal kidney function and can severely affect your health. According to the CDC, 1 in 7 Americans suffer from Chronic Kidney Disease (CDK). Although the severity of CKD differs from patient to patient, treatment has been shown to slow the progression of the disease. However, if gone untreated, it can lead to complete kidney failure, which can only be treated with dialysis (manual filtration of blood) or a kidney transplant.
Progression of CKD
CKD progresses in five stages:
Stage 1: Kidney Damage with Better or Normal Kidney Function
Stage 2: Kidney Damage with Mildly Reduced Kidney Function
Stage 3: Moderate Loss of Kidney Function
Stage 4: Severe Loss of Kidney Function
Stage 5: Kidney Failure leading to End Stage Renal Disease
How are CKD and Nutrition Related?
As mentioned, the primary role of your kidneys is to filter the blood of toxins, wastes, and excess water. However, through this filtration process, they also play a large role in mineral regulation. For example, phosphorus is a mineral that is critical for healthy bones. However, when we have exceedingly high levels of phosphorus circulating in the blood, it can be detrimental to our health. Normal kidneys will excrete excess phosphorus out through the urine but reduced kidney function can lead to increased phosphorus levels. This build up can pull calcium into the blood, causing a loss in bone density and increased your risk for a heart attack or stroke.
In addition to regulating phosphorus, the kidneys also play a big role in regulating the mineral, potassium. Potassium is found in many different foods and it is critical for regulating your heartbeat and for normal muscle function and contraction. Like phosphorus, if your potassium levels increase to a dangerous level, it can create irregular heartbeats and can increase your risk for a heart attack.
Sodium is another mineral that is tightly regulated by your kidneys. Although sodium is needed in small amounts for proper nerve impulses, contraction of muscles, and to maintain proper water and mineral balance, too much sodium can have negative effects. The kidneys filter out excess sodium in order to prevent an increase in blood pressure, edema, and to decrease the risk of stroke and heart failure.
Although limiting these three minerals is critical in CKD management, supplementation of other minerals may be needed in order to prevent secondary health conditions. For example, it is common for CKD patients to experience anemia. Anemia is a condition in which your blood has a lower than normal amount of red blood cells circulating and it can prevent your body from getting the oxygen it needs. Due to the reduction of red blood cells, your iron stores may be low and supplement may be necessary.
Who is at risk for CKD?
Some factors that may increase your risk for CKD include:
>Diabetes
>High Blood Pressure
>Heart Disease
>Family History of CKD
>Obesity
How can Shore Nutrition Associates Help?
Regardless of what stage of CKD, the overall goal of nutrition treatment is to reduce the strain that is put on the kidneys. Since the foods that we ingest contributes to the renal load (how hard our kidneys work), your doctor may prescribe you a special diet in order to slow the disease progression. At Shore Nutrition Associates, our Registered Dietitians can help you with managing your kidney condition, regardless of which stage you may be at. We can evaluate your current lab values, help you to better understand how the nutrients in your diet contribute to the overall renal load, and will develop individualized meal plans that cater to your stage of CKD.
Please contact us at (732)-539-3584 or get in touch with us via email at shorenutritionassociates@gmail.com and we can help start the healing process!
Picture Source: https://urologyaustin.com/general-urology/kidney-overview/
Reference
1. Chronic Kidney Disease Basics. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/kidneydisease/basics.html. Published February 7, 2020. Accessed July 1, 2021.
2. Anemia in Chronic Kidney Disease. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/kidney-disease/anemia. Accessed July 1, 2021.
3. Kidney Basics. National Kidney Foundation. https://www.kidney.org/kidney-basics. Published April 27, 2021. Accessed July 1, 2021.