Can Kidney Disease Be Reversed?

If you have kidney disease, you may wonder, "Can kidney disease be reversed?" After all, you can do that with other chronic health conditions, such as high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a progressive but irreversible condition, regardless of the stage. However, acute kidney injury (AKI) can be reversible. Here's what you need to know, including how you can slow the progression of kidney disease.

At What Stage Can Kidney Disease Be Reversed?

You cannot reverse damage from CKD at any stage. However, AKI—previously called acute renal failure—is a related reversible kidney condition.

AKI refers to a sudden kidney function decrease, while CKD is a progressive, persistent disease for over 90 days. Healthcare providers will order tests to determine the cause of AKI. To help your kidneys work properly again, treatment options may include:

• Antibiotics
• Dialysis
• A diet high in carbs but low in potassium, protein, and salt
• Diuretics, also called water pills
• Overnight hospitalization

If you've been diagnosed with CKD, read on for ways to slow down CKD progression.

1) Get Regular Checkups

Some adults are at risk for developing kidney disease because of risk factors such as having:

• Family history of kidney disease
• High blood pressure
• Overweight
• Type 2 diabetes

If you have any of these, seeing a healthcare provider regularly for kidney disease screenings is important. There are two main screening tests:

• A urine test called ACR (urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio). This test looks at how much albumin, a type of protein, is in your urine. If your test returns positive, it's a sign that your kidneys are not filtering your blood well enough. A healthcare provider will repeat the test three times over three months to confirm that you have early CKD.
• A blood test that looks for creatinine, a waste product that can build up in your blood when your kidneys are damaged. Your result is plugged into a math formula to calculate your glomerular filtration rate (GFR). A normal GFR is above 90. You may have very early-stage kidney disease if yours is between 60 and 90.

2) Watch Your Medications

People at risk for kidney disease or who have early-stage chronic kidney disease should limit or avoid taking over-the-counter (OTC) painkillers like acetaminophen or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs).

All of these drugs can damage kidney tissue and reduce blood flow. Those effects may be worse for individuals over the age of 65.

If you do need to take OTC painkillers to treat aches and pains, consider the following:

• Asking a pharmacist or healthcare provider if the OTC pain medications are safe for you to use
• Talking with a pharmacist about medication or supplement interactions or how pain medicines can affect your kidneys
• Filling prescriptions at one pharmacy or pharmacy chain to help with medication monitoring
• Making sure a healthcare provider knows what medications and supplements you're taking
• Staying hydrated to prevent kidney injury, as these medications can make you dehydrated

If you've already been diagnosed with kidney disease, always check with a healthcare provider before you take an OTC pain medicine.

3) Maintain a Healthy Weight

A healthy weight is important for decreasing kidney damage progression, as obesity is a risk factor for CKD. Obesity can result in kidney tissue scarring and inflammation, leading to kidney damage.

Staying at a healthy weight can also help decrease your risk for diabetes or hypertension, also called high blood pressure. Diabetes and high blood pressure are the two most common causes of chronic kidney disease.

What’s considered a healthy weight will depend on the person. The following factors can influence a person’s weight:

• Behaviors or habits
• Environment
• Family history and genetics
• Metabolism

Some factors may be out of your control, but there are ways to ensure you reach a healthy weight, including:

• Adding more physical activity to your routine
• Having a good balance of calories burned and consumed
• Making a healthy eating plan you can stick to
  

Also, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, and waist-to-hip ratio can indicate a person’s weight status. Consult a healthcare provider if you have questions or concerns about reaching and maintaining a healthy weight.

4) Exercise Regularly

For individuals with kidney disease, engaging in physical activity—cardio and strength training–has its benefits, including improvements in:

• Blood pressure
• Bone health
• Cardiorespiratory function
• Exercise capacity
• Health-based quality of life
• Kidney disease symptoms
• Lipid profile
• Muscle mass 
• Physical function

A good rule of thumb is to ensure you exercise for 30 or more minutes on as many days as you can. Talk to a healthcare provider before you begin an exercise routine to determine which exercises may be safe and appropriate.

5) Eat a Healthy Diet

To slow the progression of kidney disease, diet changes may be necessary. A person's eating pattern might include:

• An adequate amount of protein (i.e., not too much)
• Lower salt amounts and low-sodium foods
• More heart-healthy foods like lean meats, fish, fruits, and veggies

In the later stages of kidney disease, they may also need to restrict potassium and phosphorus.

6) Quit Smoking

Smoking raises the risk of heart and lung disease but can also affect your kidneys. One study found that both former and current tobacco smokers were significantly more likely to experience the progression of their chronic kidney disease.

Smoking can result in kidney damage by:

• Raising blood pressure
• Raising heart rate 
• Reducing GFR flow

A small study found that people who quit smoking were half as likely to experience GFR decline than those who continued the habit over five years.

If you want to stop smoking, speak with a healthcare provider or a quitline coach. They can work with you to determine which treatments—like counseling and medications—might be most helpful for you.

A Quick Review

There are several lifestyle habits that you can adopt to keep your kidneys healthy, prevent chronic kidney disease, or reverse it in the earliest stages. They include: watching your weight, exercising, quitting smoking, getting regular checkups, and avoiding too much of certain medications.

Picking up healthy behaviors for your kidneys can also help manage or prevent conditions that lead to kidney diseases, such as diabetes and high blood pressure.