Let’s talk about bloodwork part II: kidneys
I’m not a doctor. I’m simply sharing my story. Please consult with your doctor on any and all health issues.
As I mentioned in last week’s post, my May bloodwork indicated below range sodium and slightly below range chloride. At the time, my doctor mentioned my kidneys were high functioning. Her conclusion was the sodium and chloride levels weren’t kidney-related. I didn’t think much of her comment at the time.
After speaking with someone in my family this past week about bloodwork and kidney function,
I decided to take a closer look at the clinical measurement for kidney function and what this means as we age.
Here’s what I found.
Starting with
why should we care about what our kidneys do,
how they are doing,
and how to protect them?
“The kidneys are powerful chemical factories that perform the following functions
remove waste products from the body
remove drugs from the body
balance the body's fluids
release hormones that regulate blood pressure
produce an active form of vitamin D that promotes strong, healthy bones
control the production of red blood cells,”
Should we wait until our doctor finds a problem before developing an awareness of how our kidneys are doing and what we can do to protect them?
I don’t think so.
This may be a cultural re-learning of feeling greater responsibility for our health. Doctors are human. They aren’t miracle workers. Ultimately, we have one body and we’re the ones who have to live in it.
May 2024 bloodwork results
Which test in the Basic Metabolic Panel is for kidney function?
eGFR
As my bloodwork results came back each year, eGFR was never on my radar. I didn’t know what it meant. It’s not one of the measurements most of us are familiar with like glucose and cholesterol.
My most recent eGFR was 104. At 52, my eGFR falls in the 30 to 40-year-old age range.
Who knows for sure at what age my kidney is operating? Still, this is the best data available and I’m happy to see the lifestyle habits I’ve established paying off.
My doctor’s comment about my kidney function makes more sense now.
Source: National Kidney Foundation
“Age-associated loss of kidney function has been recognized for decades.
The biologic price of aging includes progressive structural and functional deterioration of the kidney, and these changes are among the most dramatic of any organ system.”
[source]
Let’s look at some comparison data.
December 2014 bloodwork results: eGFR
Across a nearly 10-year timespan, my kidney function has declined from 112 to 104. Interestingly, that rate of decline is consistent with the chart. At age 42, my eGFR fell in the 20 to 30-year-old age range.
At 42, I was still pescetarian, but I didn’t cook fish at home. I only ate fish at restaurants or in takeout sushi. I’d put that quantity at less than once per week. I’d been dairy free for a few years and meat free for many years. I drank alcohol socially (with some regularity) in my 20s and 30s.
Source: National Kidney Foundation
Are we destined for kidney issues as we age?
No.
“You can protect your kidneys by preventing or managing health conditions that cause kidney damage, such as diabetes and high blood pressure.”
[source]
Organic zucchini, Union Square Greenmarket
What can we do to keep our whole body healthy, including the kidneys,
according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH)?
Make healthy food choices
Make physical activity part of your routine
Aim for a healthy body weight
Get enough sleep
Stop smoking
Limit alcohol intake
Add stress-reduction activities
Manage diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease
5 ounce box of arugula, red cabbage, red pepper, red onion, tomatoes, cucumbers, avocado, nutritional yeast
That’s good news. The lifestyle habits that promote excellent health and disease prevention remain the same, across most diseases and across all of our organs and internal systems.
No matter what state of health we’re in, changing our eating and lifestyle patterns can help.
I hope this is helpful, as you navigate your own health and wellness. Want help establishing and maintaining healthy lifestyle patterns? Reach out.
Thanks for reading!
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