How to protect your kidneys

Having healthy kidneys is important for your general health and wellbeing because they play a vital role in keeping your body functioning. For example, your kidneys:

• remove waste products from your body
• balance your body's fluids
• release hormones that regulate your blood pressure 
• produce an active form of vitamin D that promotes strong, healthy bones
• control the production of red blood cells.

Read more about how your kidneys work.

There are 2 main types of kidney damage – chronic kidney disease and acute kidney injury.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD)

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) happens slowly over a long period of time, usually without you noticing. It tends to affect both kidneys and can also cause damage to other parts of your body, especially your heart.

• Diabetes and untreated high blood pressure are 2 of the most common causes of CKD.
• If you are Māori or Pacific Peoples and have diabetes, you're at increased risk of kidney disease.
• If you are at risk of CKD, it's important to see your healthcare provider regularly. CKD can be detected with simple blood and urine tests.
• Early detection and treatment of kidney disease is important as it can prevent or slow the worsening of kidney disease.

Read more about kidney disease.

Acute kidney injury (AKI)

Acute kidney injury (AKI) means that your kidneys have suddenly stopped working well. This can happen over a few hours, days or weeks.

• AKI affects both your kidneys and can range from minor loss of function to kidney failure.
• It's important AKI is detected early because the earlier it's picked up the better the chance of your kidneys fully recovering.
• If you are at increased risk of AKI, it is important to protect your kidneys. 

Read more about acute kidney injury.

Make healthy lifestyle choices

A healthy lifestyle is one of the best ways to keep your kidney's healthy. For example, eat foods lower in salt and eat more fruits and vegetables. You should also aim for a healthy body weight, and exercise daily. If you smoke, talk to your healthcare provider about stopping.

Image credit: Canva

Get your blood pressure checked

Having high blood pressure can damage blood vessels in your kidneys, which will affect the way that they function. If the blood vessels in your kidneys are damaged, they may stop removing waste and extra fluid from your body. Extra fluid in your blood vessels can raise your blood pressure even more, creating a dangerous cycle. Read more about high blood pressure. 

Manage your diabetes

If you have diabetes, here are some steps you can take to reduce harm to your kidneys.

• Keep within your blood glucose targets.
• Get your HbA1c checked. This shows your average level of blood glucose over the past 3 months. It's best to get this checked 2 to 4 times a year. 
• If your blood pressure is high, talk to your healthcare provider about how to get it under control to make sure your kidneys stay healthy.
• Read more about diabetes.

Avoid dehydration – especially if you’re unwell or in hot weather

Dehydration is the loss of water and salts from your body. Drinking enough fluid every day is an important part of kidney health.

• If you're unwell with vomiting (being sick), diarrhoea (runny poo) or a fever, you can lose extra fluid. It's important to keep yourself hydrated by having small sips of water every few minutes.
• If you're unwell and can't drink enough fluid, or you notice that you're passing less urine (pee) than usual, contact your healthcare provider immediately.
• In hot weather: Always drink plenty of fluids during the day, especially when working or exercising in the sun. Where possible, plan all physical outdoor activities for cooler parts of the day. Drink water before, during if possible, and after you play sport to ensure your body stays hydrated. Read more about preventing dehydration.

Video: Looking after your kidneys (English)

The video below provides information on looking after your kidneys. 

The video is also available in the following languages:

• Samoan(external link)
• Tongan(external link)

Manage your medicines

There are several medicines that help to protect your kidneys, for example, medicines that lower your blood pressure and control your diabetes. However, there are a few medicines that can harm your kidneys, especially if you take these medicines while you're dehydrated, or you take a combination of these medicines.

Have a sick day plan

Taking some medicines while you're dehydrated may increase your risk of acute kidney injury (AKI). If you're unwell and can't eat and drink normally, have a sick day plan. You may need to miss doses of some medicines until you feel better. Check with your healthcare provider and pharmacist whether the medicines you are taking put you at risk of AKI and about having a sick day plan(external link).

Be careful when taking some pain relief medicines (anti-inflammatories)

Taking pain relief medicines called non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can be harmful to your kidneys because they reduce the blood supply to your kidneys. If you're taking medicines for blood pressure or heart problems, such as diuretics (water tablets), ACE inhibitors and ARBs (angiotensin II receptor blockers or sartans), don't use NSAIDs for pain relief. When taken together, these medicines are very harmful to your kidneys. Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for other medicines for pain relief.

Before buying NSAIDs for pain relief, check with your pharmacist whether these are safe for you. Read more about the risks of NSAIDs.

• Examples of NSAIDs are Ibuprofen (Nurofen, Brufen SR), Diclofenac (Voltaren), Naproxen (Noflam, Naprosyn), Mefenamic acid (Ponstan), Celecoxib (Celebrex). Tenoxicam (Tilcotil).
• Examples of diuretics are furosemide, bumetanide, bendroflumethiazide, chlortalidone, hydrochlorothiazide, indapamide, spironolactone, eplerenone and metolazone.
• Examples of ACE inhibitors are captopril, enalapril, lisinopril, perindopril, quinapril and ramipril.
• Examples of ARBs are candesartan, irbesartan and losartan.

Image credit: Healthify He Puna Waiora

Read more about the triple whammy effect.

Be careful when taking multivitamins, food supplements and herbal or complementary medicines

Multivitamins, food supplements and herbal or complementary medicines may contain ingredients that are harmful to your kidneys. Always check with your pharmacist whether the medicines you're taking may interact with these. 

Apps reviewed by Healthify

You may find it useful to look at some diabetes apps, blood pressure apps, kidney disease apps, quit smoking apps and nutrition, exercise and weight management apps.