Diabetes is a serious disease that occurs when your body does not produce or cannot use insulin. Insulin is necessary to help process glucose, which is the fuel your cells need to do their job. In diabetes, the level of blood glucose, or blood sugar, gets too high. This can lead to many complications, including damage to the kidneys. However, serious complications can be avoided if diabetes is diagnosed early on and properly managed.
Kidneys Filter Less
According to the National Kidney Foundation, diabetes can damage the small blood vessels that supply the kidneys with blood. In addition, the kidneys can become blocked, start to leak and lose their ability to filter properly. This means that you may begin to retain salt and water, which can lead to frequent urination, high blood pressure, weight gain and swelling in your ankles. In addition, waste products will begin to build up in your blood.
Waste Products Enter the Bloodstream
When your blood sugar levels are high, the kidneys can become overworked. When you eat protein, your kidneys must break it down so your body can use it. During this process, waste products are produced and are excreted through your urine. The American Diabetes Association states that when you have diabetes, your kidneys have more to process. As they become overworked, they start to leak protein into the urine. This makes the protein unavailable to your body. This condition usually exists without symptoms, but it is often the first sign that the kidneys are not functioning correctly. Have your urine tested regularly to watch for problems. If caught in the early stages, steps can be taken to avoid more serious kidney disease.
Kidney Failure
The kidneys can fail completely in severe cases. When this happens, your body will not be able to properly get rid of waste products. Watch for signs such as upset stomach, vomiting, loss of appetite, muscle weakness, excessive fatigue, leg muscle cramps that are worse at night, dry, itchy and puffy skin around your eyes, metallic taste in the mouth, an ammonia smell on your breath, insomnia and anemia.
Kidney failure requires dialysis or a kidney transplant. According to the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse, kidney disease is slow to develop, giving you time to take steps to avoid serious problems.
