“The kidneys are not an organ you can live without. People don’t think about that on a day-to-day basis. Everybody knows that you can't live without a brain or a heart, but people usually don't realise that you won’t survive without your kidneys.”—Breonny Robson, General Manager of Clinical & Research, Kidney Health Australia
Key points
- You can’t live without your kidneys. Initial signs of kidney disease can progress to kidney failure, which requires ongoing dialysis or a kidney transplant to survive.
- The signs of kidney disease can be hard to spot and are often associated with other diseases, meaning many Australians don’t notice the signs until the disease progresses.
- Knowing if you’re at risk of kidney disease and getting regular kidney health checks is the best thing you can do to protect your kidney health and overall wellbeing.
You probably don’t think about your kidney health in the same way you consider your gut health, heart health or brain health. But one in seven Australian adults are living with signs of kidney disease, and the condition can have dire consequences.
If kidney disease isn’t detected early enough, it can progress to kidney failure. This is where people need dialysis treatment or a kidney transplant to stay alive.
“One of the biggest challenges is that most people don't know they're living with signs of kidney disease. There's 2.5 million Australians who, when we go and test their blood and their urine, we know they've got kidney disease but they have no clue,” says Breonny Robson, General Manager of Clinical & Research at Kidney Health Australia.
So, what is kidney disease, what are the signs and how can you prevent it to protect your health and overall wellbeing?
What is kidney disease
Kidney disease is a condition that occurs when your kidneys can no longer do the job of cleaning your blood as well as they should.
“If your kidneys aren't working well, they're not able to remove the waste products and toxins from your blood. Those waste products can build up in the body, which makes people unwell over time,” says Breonny.
But they don’t just remove toxins and keep your blood clean. Your kidneys also regulate your blood pressure and activate vitamins and minerals such as Calcium and vitamin D that keep your body well and healthy.
If the disease progresses to kidney failure it has a really horrible burden on people's lives, says Breonny.
“People with kidney failure are typically on dialysis treatment three times a week, for five hours at a time, often in a hospital’s renal unit receiving treatment. This limits their ability to work full time, and it impacts their family,” she says.
It’s a big problem. Not just for the individual and their family, but also because of the number of people it affects and the impact it has on our health system.
About one in six hospitalisations are related to kidney disease and the disease costs the Australian economy around $9.9 billion every year.
The most common kidney disease symptoms
Often known as the silent killer, the signs of kidney disease can be hard to notice. In fact, you can lose up to 90% of your kidney function without experiencing any symptoms.
Hannah Orchard, Health Coach & Dietitian at Australian Unity, says while there are some early symptoms of kidney disease, they are symptoms that are associated with many diseases or even just ageing in general.
An increase in blood pressure, changes in urination and fatigue can all be early symptoms.
“If you’re urinating more frequently or you notice changes in urine colour or smell, that can be related to your kidney function,” says Hannah.
When people aren’t feeling well, their kidneys usually aren’t top of mind, says Breonny.
“This is why we need to create awareness about the condition and who's at risk, so that we can make sure that people get a kidney health check and get diagnosed early,” says Breonny.
Who’s at risk of kidney disease
According to Breonny, kidney disease often affects the most disadvantaged people in society.
Those at increased risk of kidney disease include:
- People living with diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity or cardiovascular disease
- People with a family history of kidney failure
- People who smoke or vape
- People who have had a previous kidney injury
If you’re in one of these risk categories, you will need to get a kidney health check every one to two years depending on your specific situation. Your GP will be able to provide tailored advice for you.
It's also recommended that First Nations Peoples aged 18 years and over and all other Australians aged 60 years and over get a kidney health check.
What happens during a kidney health check
To get a kidney health check, it’s as easy as going to your GP and asking for the check. It’s quick to do and there are just three simple components:
- A blood test: This checks for a waste product called serum creatinine, and will determine how well your kidneys are filtering your blood.
- A urine test: This checks for a protein called albumin in your urine to see how leaky your kidneys are, which is a sign of kidney damage.
- A blood pressure check: This a standard blood pressure check to assess whether your blood pressure has increased, which is one of the first signs of kidney disease.
Your kidneys need to be performing poorly for three months or longer for you to be diagnosed with kidney disease. So if you’re showing signs of kidney disease, the tests will likely be repeated to ensure it’s not a once off.
How to prevent kidney disease
Your lifestyle can have a big role in preventing kidney disease. Being active and eating less salt, sugar and packaged food can have a positive impact on your kidney health.
Hannah Orchard, Health Coach & Dietitian at Australian Unity, says hydration is another great preventative measure. She says a lot of the time we don’t notice we’re dehydrated until we feel thirst, but by that point we’re already quite dehydrated.
“Starting your day with a big glass of water is a great way to get the ball rolling. Then instill that habit of always taking a water bottle with you, especially after exercise and exertion,” she says.
“Try to aim for about two to two and a half liters of fluid per day, predominantly from water. For older adults who find this makes them need to go to the bathroom a lot more, about a liter and a half is a great goal.”
Going for a walk after meals is another great habit to implement.
“Even if it’s just 10 minutes, this really helps with aiding in digestion, getting things moving and circulating well. That can help with the prevention of some other risk factors like blood pressure and diabetes as well,” says Hannah.
She says setting these health goals with a partner, friend or family member can make them feel more achievable.
And don’t forget, one of the best things you can do for your kidneys is to get those regular health checks.
Advice for all Australians
“The absolute most important thing people can do is know if they're at risk of kidney disease,” says Breonny.
If you’re not sure if you fall into one of the risk categories, you can take a two minute risk test on the Kidney Health Australia website.
For those who are at risk, it’s not a ‘one and done’ approach to screening. Even if you’re not showing the signs of kidney disease, you’ll need to get another check in a year or two depending on your risk factors.
“To really get in front of the burden of kidney disease, people need to understand if they’re at risk, get a kidney health check, get diagnosed early, and get on the medications that we know can stop kidney disease in its tracks,” says Breonny.
For all Australians, Hannah has some advice: “It’s never too late to start looking after your kidney health.”
Even if you’ve already been diagnosed, making those small changes to your lifestyle is going to have an impact. Slowly but surely, you can work towards a lifestyle that promotes your kidney health.
