LEVELS – A Whole New Level #279 - Kidney function explained: Tests, risks, and habits that protect your health | Dr. Richard Johnson and Mike Haney
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Aug 7, 2025 Dr. Richard Johnson, a Professor emeritus focused on kidney disease, joins Mike Haney to dive into kidney health. They discuss how the Western diet negatively influences kidney function, with common culprits like diabetes and high blood pressure being key risk factors. The duo emphasizes the importance of biomarkers in assessing kidney health, including serum creatinine and albumin levels. They also explore the effects of lifestyle changes, heat stress, and the significance of maintaining a balanced diet to protect these vital organs.
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Heat Stress Harms Kidneys
- Kidneys are vulnerable to heat stress due to their role in water retention.
- An epidemic of kidney disease in hot climates is linked to heat stress and toxins inhaled by sugarcane workers.
Diabetes and Hypertension Damage Kidneys
- Diabetes and high blood pressure cause most kidney disease.
- High blood pressure starts from kidneys retaining salt and then worsens the kidney damage in a vicious cycle.
Metabolic Syndrome Accelerates Aging Kidneys
- Kidney function naturally declines with age, especially after 50.
- Metabolic syndrome and Western diets accelerate this decline by increasing kidney stress.
