While you generally cannot reverse chronic kidney disease (CKD) damage, regular exercise is a cornerstone therapy that significantly slows its progression, improves kidney function markers (like eGFR and creatinine), manages related conditions (like blood pressure and diabetes), and enhances overall quality of life by reducing risks of heart disease, hospitalization, and mortality, even in advanced stages. It acts as a powerful complementary treatment alongside diet and medication, helping control underlying risk factors and improving physical and cardiovascular health.
There's no cure for chronic kidney disease (CKD), but treatment can help relieve the symptoms and stop it getting worse.
A balanced diet low in sodium, phosphorus, and potassium, while high in quality protein, is essential for healthy kidneys. For example, red bell peppers are low in potassium (and high in flavor), which make them a great snack.
Here are the best exercises for kidney care:
Treating the underlying cause, like dehydration, infection, or a medication reaction, may allow your kidney function numbers to return to normal or close to it. People with chronic kidney disease are typically unable to improve their eGFR significantly. This is because kidney damage is permanent and cannot be undone.
Chronic kidney failure results from kidney damage that develops slowly and cannot be reversed. Symptoms of kidney failure include a reduced amount of urine, swelling, tiredness and confusion.
The results showed that exercise with an intervention duration >30 min significantly improved eGFR (p < 0.01), while exercise with an intervention duration ≤ 30 min indicated that there was no significant difference between the exercise group and the control group (p = 0.96).
Regular physical activity is key to potentially slowing the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD). By improving cardiovascular health, controlling blood pressure, and managing blood sugar levels, exercise reduces primary risk factors for CKD progression.
Eat a kidney-friendly diet and exercise regularly.
A dietitian can help you plan meals that you like based on your preferences. Regular exercise and maintaining a healthy weight are also effective ways to help manage your disease progression. Talk to your doctor about incorporating exercise into your daily routine.
Diabetes and high blood pressure are the top culprits damaging kidneys most, as they harm the delicate filtering blood vessels, leading to chronic kidney disease (CKD) and failure; other major factors include smoking, obesity, dehydration, poor diet (high sugar/salt/red meat), certain medications (NSAIDs), lack of sleep, and genetic conditions. These factors create a cycle where damaged kidneys worsen blood pressure, further damaging them.
Here's a breakdown of the six most common supplements people with CKD may need to support kidney health.
Though kidney failure and CKD aren't reversible, you can take steps to help preserve your kidney function. Healthy habits and routines may slow down how quickly your kidneys lose their ability to function. If you have CKD or kidney failure, it's a good idea to: Monitor your kidney function.
Symptoms of kidney disease
The kidneys are unable to regenerate lost tissue or repair significant damage on their own.
To strengthen your kidneys, focus on a healthy lifestyle: stay hydrated with water, eat a balanced diet low in salt and processed foods, exercise regularly, maintain a healthy weight, and avoid smoking and excessive alcohol, while also managing blood pressure and blood sugar to prevent damage.
Extreme, on-going tiredness, together with a lack of energy, is often called fatigue. There are lots of reasons why you may experience fatigue with CKD. If your kidneys are not working well, toxins (waste products) build up in your blood and this can make you feel tired and weak.
Once you have CKD, it and the accompanying kidney damage cannot be reversed. However, diagnosing and treating CKD early may help stop it from advancing.
Best exercises for kidney health
Brisk walking, swimming, jogging and cycling are ideal ways to exercise – and so are many day-to-day activities: Gardening for just 15 minutes is roughly the same as walking 1,200 steps – it's even higher if you mow the lawn.
And as kidney disease progresses, you may notice the following symptoms. Nausea and vomiting, muscle cramps, loss of appetite, swelling via feet and ankles, dry, itchy skin, shortness of breath, trouble sleeping, urinating either too much or too little.
Each 60-minute greater duration of weekly physical activity was associated with an estimated 0.5% per year slower decline in eGFR (P=0.04).
Structured activities include aerobic, strength, and flexibility activities. Aerobic activities are where you use large amounts of oxygen. These types of exercises include walking, jogging, stair climbing, swimming, water walking and water aerobics, gardening, dancing, bicycling, and chair exercises.
In the general population, approximately 38% of adults aged 70 or older have an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) < 60 ml/min/1.73 m2, with most having moderate reductions in eGFR in the 30-59 ml/min/1.73 m2 range (1).
Damage to your kidneys cannot be reversed, but you can take steps to slow down the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD).