‘Healthy kidneys play a major role in our health’

iNova Pharmaceuticals has emphasised the importance of our kidneys, bearing in mind that chronic kidney disease (CKD) is said to be the 6th fastest growing cause of death worldwide.

According to their official website [https://inovapharma.com/about-us/iNovaPharmaceuticals], ‘iNova Pharmaceuticals markets and sells a range of market-leading and trusted non-prescription pharmacy products and prescription medicine in over 20 countries across Asia, Africa, Australia / New Zealand’.

In a statement released by the company in light of World Kidney Day on Thursday, 14 March, healthy kidneys are said to play a major role in keeping our body and our bones healthy. World Kidney Day is a global awareness campaign aimed at raising awareness of the importance of our kidneys. This year’s theme is ‘Kidney Health for Everyone, Everywhere’.

Kidney disease is described as a global burden – a total of 850 million people worldwide are now estimated to have developed kidney disease from various causes – and chronic kidney diseases (CKD) cause at least 2,4 million deaths per year.

Dr Mandisa Maholwana of the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital (NMCH) – said to be only the second dedicated children’s hospital in the country – added that CKD affects people of all ages. It is estimated that one in 10 people globally are affected by this condition.

“We join international health and nephrology societies, organisations and foundations in raising awareness of this cause, as it celebrates one year since the opening of the paediatric renal unit, which has become one of the largest in the country.”

Some facts about the kidneys

• The kidneys remove wastes and extra fluid from the body, help to produce red blood cells and help keep bones strong.

• They also produce urine, control the body’s chemical balance, help control blood pressure, and help to keep the right amount of minerals in the blood. Minerals are nutrients that your body needs to stay healthy.

• The relationship between kidneys, calcium, phosphate and Vitamin D is a complicated one, but one that is vital for the health of our bones.

• Calcium and phosphates are both minerals that are important for overall health; in particular they help build strong bones and teeth. They also play a role in cell and nerve function. Your kidneys and your parathyroid glands keep both phosphates and calcium at healthy levels.

• Calcium, the most abundant mineral found in the body, is obtained from the food we eat and from calcium supplements.

• Healthy kidneys change vitamin D from sunlight and some foods into active vitamin D that our bodies can use.

• Vitamin D and a hormone called PTH (parathyroid hormone) help regulate how much calcium is absorbed and how much calcium is eliminated by the kidneys. Healthy kidneys turn vitamin D into an active hormone (calcitriol), which helps increase calcium absorption from the intestines into the blood.

• Calcium is stored in your bones and is essential for building and keeping your bones healthy and strong. Many of the cells in your body need calcium to work properly. Your body gets most of its calcium from the food that you eat. If your calcium levels are too low, your body will take the extra calcium it needs from your bones.

• Even if you consume foods that contain a lot of calcium and phosphates, they cannot be absorbed into your body unless you have enough vitamin D, and for vitamin D to work properly, it needs to be ‘activated’ or ‘switched on’ by the kidneys.

• When kidneys fail there is a shortage of active vitamin D. This causes calcium and phosphate levels to get out of balance. When the phosphate level in the blood goes up and the vitamin D level goes down, your body makes too much parathyroid hormone (PTH). High PTH levels cause calcium to move from your bones into your blood. As calcium leaves your bones, they become weaker, more brittle, and are more likely to break. Some calcium may also end up in the heart and blood vessels. This may worsen or even cause heart disease.

• Reducing the amount of phosphates in your diet may be one way to stop phosphate levels rising in people with compromised kidney function. Phosphates occur in a wide variety of foods so it is impossible to have a phosphate-free diet. Phosphate-binding supplements can be beneficial in lowering the amount of phosphate absorbed from food. Phosphate binders act like ‘sponges’, trapping the phosphate before it is absorbed. This means that less of the phosphate you eat will go into the bloodstream.

• Speak to your doctor or pharmacist about any possible supplementation or if you have any concerns about the health of your kidneys. A simple blood test can also show if you need extra calcium.

• It is vital for anyone who has kidney disease or decreased kidney function to make sure that their calcium and phosphate balance is checked and managed correctly. For people with healthy kidneys, it is also important to balance their calcium levels. Very low levels of calcium can, in the long term, lead to dental changes, cataracts, alterations in the brain, and osteoporosis, which causes the bones to become brittle. Too much calcium in your blood stream, on the other hand, can weaken your bones, create kidney stones and interfere with how your heart and brain work.

References:

1. National Kidney Foundation. Mineral and Bone Disorder (2014) at https://www.kidney.org/atoz/content/MineralBoneDisorder.

2. World Kidney Day. Your Amazing Kidneys (2019) at https://www.worldkidneyday.org/faqs/your-kidneys/.

3. Kidney Health Australia. Fact Sheet Calcium and Phosphate Balance with Kidney Disease (2017) at https://kidney.org.au/cms_uploads/docs/calcium-and-phosphate-balance-with-kidney-disease–kidney-health-australia-fact-sheet.pdf.

4. Davita Kidney Care. Calcium and Chronic Kidney Disease(2019) at https://www.davita.com/diet-nutrition/articles/basics/calcium-and-chronic-kidney-disease.

5. Kidney Health Australia. Calcium and phosphate balance (2015) at https://kidney.org.au/cms_uploads/docs/calcium-and-phosphate-balance-fact-sheet.pdf.

6. Impact RX Script Data (Vitamins & Minerals / Constructed Class) MAT August 2018.

7. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney disease. Chronic Kidney Disease- Mineral and Bone. [Internet]. 2016. Available from: https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/health-topics/kidney-disease/chronic-kidney-disease-mineral-and-bone-disorder/Pages/facts.asp.

8. World Kidney Day. FAQs (2019) at https://www.worldkidneyday.org/faqs/chronic-kidney-disease/.

9. World Kidney Day. Kidney Health is for everyone everywhere (2019) at https://www.worldkidneyday.org/2019-campaign/2019-wkd-theme/.

10. Medical News Today. What happens when calcium levels are low? (2018) at https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321865.php.

11. Mayo Clinic. Hypercalcemia (2018) at https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hypercalcemia/symptoms-causes/syc-20355523.