The Kidney Dysfunction Epidemic, Part 1: Causes.

Abstract

As I worked on this editorial, I was quite surprised to find that so much of our kidney’s normal function is being used up by everyday chemicals we eat, such as salt and phosphates, and commonly doctor- and self-prescribed NSAIDs. When environmental toxins such as cadmium, glyphosate, and halogenated hydrocarbons are added to the burden, the kidney function loss epidemic goes from inexplicable to predictable. Although, with the exception of workplace exposure, none of these toxic factors alone is the big problem, together they overwhelm and progressive damage the kidneys. I am coming to the conclusion that strengthening and protecting kidney function is one of the best antiaging strategies we can recommend to our patients. In the next issue, I will discuss ways of protecting the kidneys and actually increasing function even in “normal” people.