Kidney disease doesn’t typically get as much attention as the other health conditions (think: breast cancer or adult depression). But recently, it’s making headlines at the Olympics, as gymnast Sunisa (Suni) Lee competes in the 2024 Paris Games.
Lee shared last year that she was diagnosed with two incurable kidney diseases. Lee, who was competing at Auburn University at the time, had to leave her gymnastics season early and stop training for six months, she told SELF. The athlete hasn’t provided specifics on her conditions, but she has shared that they’re currently well managed with the help of medication. Lee’s comments about her diseases have raised a lot of questions about chronic kidney disease, including what it is, symptoms to look out for, and how it’s typically treated.
Ahead, experts break down the details.
Experts Featured in This Article:
Anjay Rastogi, MD, PhD, is the clinical chief of nephrology at the David Geffen School of Medicine UCLA.
David Goldfarb, MD, is a nephrologist and professor of medicine and physiology at NYU Grossman School of Medicine.
Jens Gobel, MD, a nephrologist with Corewell Health.
What Is Chronic Kidney Disease?
It’s important to point out that chronic kidney disease is a broad term for a range of illnesses. However, having chronic kidney disease means that your kidneys are damaged and can’t filter blood the way they should, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK).
With chronic kidney disease, the damage to your kidneys happens slowly over a long period of time, which can cause waste to build up in your body.
But chronic kidney disease includes conditions like type 2 diabetes and lupus nephritis, making it “quite common,” says Anjay Rastogi, MD, PhD clinical chief of nephrology at the David Geffen School of Medicine UCLA. Unfortunately, chronic kidney disease is underdiagnosed. In fact, Dr. Rastogi points out that up to 90% of adults in the U.S. with kidney disease don’t realize that they have the condition.
What Causes Chronic Kidney Disease?
The most common cause of kidney disease in the US is diabetes, says David Goldfarb, MD, a nephrologist and professor of medicine and physiology at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. “That is the main cause of not just chronic kidney disease, but kidney failure as well,” he says.
Cardiovascular disease, weight, and being over age 60 can play a role, as well as having a family history of chronic kidney disease, says Jens Goebel, MD, a nephrologist with Corewell Health. In children, chronic kidney disease is usually caused by congenital abnormalities or issues with the immune system, he says.
Chronic kidney Disease Symptoms
Early chronic kidney disease may not have any symptoms, and it’s usually picked up when someone has routine testing during an annual physical, Dr. Goldfarb says.
But as a person’s chronic kidney disease gets worse, they may develop swelling when the kidneys can’t get rid of extra fluid and salt, per the NIDDK. Symptoms of advanced chronic kidney disease can include the following, according to the NIDDK:
- chest pain
- dry skin
- itching or numbness
- feeling tired
- headaches
- peeing more than usual
- peeing less than usual
- loss of appetite
- muscle cramps
- nausea
- shortness of breath
- sleep problems
- trouble concentrating
- vomiting
- weight loss
“You can also develop problems with your bones, become anemic, and deal with malnutrition,” Dr. Rastogi says.
How Is Chronic Kidney Disease Treated?
Treatment ultimately depends on which type of chronic kidney disease a patient has. “Some diseases, especially those that are immune-mediated, can be treated and possibly even cured with immunosuppression,” Dr. Goebel says. (Immunosuppression in this sense is when someone takes medication to suppress-or tamp down on-their immune system.)
“Treatment may also be needed for high blood pressure or to reduce the amount of protein in the urine and to buffer any high acid levels in the blood,” Dr. Goebels says. Patients also may need to alter their diet and, in severe cases, may need dialysis or a kidney transplant, he adds.
Dr. Goldfarb stresses the importance of being screened to stay on top of your kidney health, which usually involves urine and blood tests that can be ordered at a primary care physician’s office. “Most people with chronic kidney disease don’t know that they have chronic kidney disease,” he says.
Korin Miller is a writer specializing in general wellness, health, and lifestyle trends. Her work has appeared in Women’s Health, Self, Health, Forbes, and more.
