5 habits that harm kidney health
[5 MIN READ]
In this article:
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When your kidneys aren’t working correctly, excess fluid and waste products can build up in your body and threaten your health.
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To maintain good kidney health, manage your salt intake — particularly by limiting the amount of processed foods you eat.
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If you are at high risk for kidney disease (family history of kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes or cardiovascular disease), then you should undergo a kidney health evaluation every year.
Top 5 habits that harm your kidneys
Every day, the choices that you make and common habits you have impact your health and how your body functions. Some of these consequences are easy to see — such as when you gain weight because you have eaten too much. On the other hand, some health problems — like chronic kidney disease — can develop over time and take you by surprise.
We talked to Katherine Tuttle, M.D., a Providence nephrologist (kidney doctor) who sees patients in Spokane, Washington, about the top five habits that can harm kidney health and the leading causes of kidney disease.
Why your kidney health matters
The kidneys are your body’s master regulator, removing waste products and fluid while also controlling blood pressure and other critical functions. If your kidneys aren’t working correctly, then fluid and waste products can build up and these functions become impaired. As a result, imbalances in blood chemistries and dysfunction of the brain, heart, lungs, gut, muscles and bone marrow may lead to life-threatening conditions.
“The kidneys are really the center of balance in the body,” says Dr. Tuttle. “People tend to take these precious organs for granted and not appreciate how important they are to their survival.”
There are five big ways that you can cause serious harm to your kidneys:
1. Not drinking enough fluid
It’s important that your body has enough fluid to function. “The kidneys are the most vascular organ in the body and contain about 20% of all your blood volume,” says Dr. Tuttle. “Therefore, they are particularly vulnerable to volume depletion. When there’s not enough fluid in your body, your kidneys can’t clear wastes or balance blood chemistries.”
Experts recommend that that women drink around 9 cups of fluid a day, and men drink around 13 cups.
2. Eating too much sodium
When you picture eating too much sodium, you might imagine overdoing it with the saltshaker. But that’s not the biggest source of sodium in your life, says Dr. Tuttle.
“The amount of sodium that comes out of the saltshaker is relatively small,” she says. “The sodium that comes in processed foods is the biggest issue. The average American eats about 10 grams of salt, but the recommended daily amount is only 2 grams.”
The best option, says Dr. Tuttle, is to consume fresh fruits and vegetables. “These healthy choices can get expensive,” she says. “So, if fresh foods are not available to you, then frozen options are better than canned products because they are usually lower in sodium.”
Be careful not to consume too little salt, or less than half a gram per day, however. It helps maintain the amount of fluid in your body — when you sweat, you lose both water and electrolytes (sodium, chloride, potassium, magnesium and calcium). That’s why many athletes favor drinks, like Gatorade or other similar products, because they help replenish the electrolytes in the body.
3. Overusing over-the-counter painkillers
Over-the-counter painkillers such as ibuprofen (Advil) cause the kidneys to retain sodium and fluid and can damage the kidneys.
“Just because a drug is over the counter doesn’t mean it’s safe,” says Dr. Tuttle. “People often take drugs like ibuprofen and naproxen like they’re candy, but they should not be used on a daily basis or in high doses.”
Dr. Tuttle notes that acetaminophen (Tylenol) is not in the same category as ibuprofen. It’s a safer medication for the kidneys and the heart but can be harmful to the liver in large doses.
“For over-the-counter medications, a little may be okay, but more isn’t better,” she says.
4. Consuming too much protein
High-protein diets have been an enduring feature of fad diets for decades. Dr. Tuttle cautions people against consuming too much protein. According to the Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) 2024 guidelines, there is a direct link between too much dietary protein and long-term kidney damage. KDIGO specifically cautions against greater than 1.3 g per kg (based on ideal body weight) per day and emphasizes the value of plant-based sources of protein. For example, that means not to exceed 100 g of protein daily for a 70 kg person.
In particular, Dr. Tuttle says, “An abundance of data that shows eating high amounts of animal meat is associated with accelerated loss of kidney function as well as cardiovascular disease and mortality. On the flip side, plant-based diets are organ protective for the heart and kidneys — they can reduce albumin in the urine (a sign of kidney damage) and stabilize kidney function.”
“When people consume a high-protein diet,” Dr. Tuttle continues, “they generate excess protein waste products and toxins that may damage their vital organs, especially the heart and kidneys. Overeating protein has gotten much less attention than overeating other things.”
5. Ignoring high blood pressure
In addition to causing many other problems, high blood pressure (hypertension) is a major cause of kidney disease and heart disease. The American Heart Association recommends that your blood pressure should stay below 130/80 mm Hg, but Dr. Tuttle says that to protect your kidneys, you may consider keeping your blood pressure below 120/70 mm Hg.
“Hypertension is gasoline on the fire of kidney and cardiovascular diseases,” she says. “High blood pressure continually pounds a network of delicate capillaries that comprise the millions of tiny filters in your kidneys. It is truly one of the most modifiable risk factors for both kidney disease and heart disease. Unfortunately, most people with hypertension are not adequately controlled.”
Tips for maintaining kidney health
Kidney health, Dr. Tuttle says, relies on paying attention to your overall health. “Eat good foods, eat plants, don’t eat too much,” she says.
Diabetes is the No. 1 cause of chronic kidney disease and kidney failure, but there are other factors that can cause it, too. If you are at high risk (you have family history of kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes or cardiovascular disease), you should undergo an annual kidney evaluation that includes both a urine test for kidney damage (urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio or a microalbumin test) and a blood test for creatinine and/or cystatin C to assess kidney function by the eGFR (calculated estimate of your kidneys’ capacity to filter the blood).
“We now have highly effective therapies that preserve kidney function and help you maintain your overall health,” Dr. Tuttle says. “The key is identifying kidney disease early enough to make a difference.”
Contributing caregiver
Katherine Tuttle, M.D., is a nephrologist with Providence Spokane Nephrology.
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This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical care. Always follow your health care professional’s instructions.
