The Silent Issue Affecting Metabolism & What To Do About It, From An MD

August 14, 2023

When you imagine a healthy metabolism, chances are you don’t think about your kidneys. Well, you should! 

As board-certified internal medicine doctor Richard Johnson, M.D., explains on this episode of the mindbodygreen podcast, metabolic syndrome and early kidney disease are deeply intertwined. The more markers of metabolic dysfunction you have—high blood pressure, cholesterol, uric acid, and so on—the higher chance you have chronic kidney disease. 

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The kicker? Much like metabolic syndrome, kidney disease typically remains silent until it becomes a problem. 

So what can you do today to ensure the health of your kidneys and prevent painful kidney stones? For starters, Johnson recommends asking your doctor for a cystatin C blood test (listen to the episode to learn more about it). From there, you can follow his lifestyle tips below: 

“In terms of diet, reduce sugar, reduce processed red meats, and reduce alcohol, especially beer,” says Johnson. (It’s the brewers yeast in beer that can become a problem, thanks to its high purine content1.)

We generally encourage a balanced approach to all of the above, but if you have any concerns with your kidneys, you might want to be extra vigilant of your intake. “There is absolutely no doubt that high-sugar diets make kidney disease worse,” Johnson adds. 

It’s actually fructose that’s the culprit, he adds: When you eat sugar, glucose and fructose separate in the gut, and you absorb them on their own. And “Fructose is the driver of uric acid and of kidney disease,” he shares.

Now, you might be thinking: Doesn’t fruit contain fructose? You’re absolutely right, but according to Johnson, the amount is pretty minimal. “Even though fruit contains some fructose, it’s so much less than a soft drink,” he explains. Let’s try to look at the big picture, here, instead of splitting hairs. 

Processed red meat, additionally, causes your body to produce a lot more uric acid. “When you’re eating red processed meats a lot, your uric acid probably is going to be pretty high, and you should get it checked,” he notes. As a refresher: When your body is producing too much uric acid, it can build up and lead to the formation of urate crystals. Over time, these crystals can cause gout and kidney stones. 2

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3.

Drink lots of water 

The key to preventing kidney stones? Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. “Dehydration is the No. 1 cause of kidney stones,” says Johnson, so you want to keep an eye on your daily water intake—especially if you’re one to indulge in sugary soft drinks. 

“When you get dehydrated, your urine starts to concentrate, because you hold onto the water as much as possible,” he explains. “The calcium and uric acid in the urine go up,” he adds, which can ultimately lead to kidney stones. 

That said, make sure you stay hydrated throughout the day—Johnson recommends drinking six to eight glasses of water per day, but that number can vary from person to person. As a general rule: If your pee isn’t a light yellow color, you might not be getting enough H2O.

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