Why do the kidneys suffer in diabetes?

Diabetes mellitus is characterized by high levels of sugar in the blood and urine. This occurs due to a disruption in the production or action of insulin, a hormone that regulates sugar levels.

In diabetes, the kidneys are forced to filter huge volumes of blood to remove excess sugar in the urine. Normally, 5-6 liters of blood per hour pass through the kidneys, and in diabetes - even more.

When the sugar level exceeds 10 mmol/l, the kidneys can no longer cope with filtering and begin to leak sugar into the urine. This leads to water loss and the development of diabetic nephropathy.

At the early stage of nephropathy, only increased diuresis is observed. Then a protein appears in the urine, signaling irreversible changes in the kidneys. The filtration rate decreases by approximately 1 ml per month.

Without treatment, severe renal failure may occur within 5-7 years, requiring hemodialysis.

Thus, constant hyperfiltration and losses due to diabetes lead to premature wear and damage of the kidneys. Controlling sugar levels is the key to preventing diabetic nephropathy.