Over the past two decades, the link between high cholesterol and kidney disease was intensely studied, mostly because researchers were not sure if cholesterol played any part in the equation, like as blood pressure and high sugar levels do.
What research says
The Johns Hopkins School of Public Health has studied the relationship between high cholesterol and kidney disease. Between five and 10 million Americans have some form of chronic kidney disease, a condition that shares a lot of similar risk factors with other medical problems, such as heart disease.
These risk factors have always been identified as being hypertension or diabetes, but the role that high cholesterol played in all this has been uncertain. A study published in 2000 was focused on discovering if there is indeed a connection between decline or loss of kidney function and a high number of blood lipids.
During this study, researchers discovered that creatinine, which has been used to identify a potential chronic kidney disease, would rise when the kidneys were less capable of filtering blood. According to the data gathered in this research process, a high level of triglycerides also indicated rising creatinine levels, leading to less functional kidneys.
The same study also brought to light the fact that lower HDL levels would pose a greater risk of developing chronic kidney disease. On the other hand, there was no link discovered between LDL and total cholesterol levels, and the risk of chronic kidney disease.
Cholesterol, heart disease, and kidney disease
People who have chronic kidney disease are also very likely to develop cardiovascular disease as well. In fact, there are lots of people who have been diagnosed with cardiovascular disease before discovering they have kidney problems as well. Those who have kidney disease are very likely to die because of cardiovascular disease. These two are strongly connected, but can also be avoided through a diet that limits fat and cholesterol intake.
It is no secret that increased cholesterol levels lead to heart disease and stroke, but it seems that elevated triglyceride levels can also cause chronic kidney disease as well. You should always aim for the following cholesterol levels if you have kidney disease:
- The best total cholesterol levels for those suffering from chronic kidney disease are between 150 and 199 mg/dL. While general knowledge typically suggests that any cholesterol lower than 200 mg/dL is ok, having cholesterol between 100 and 149 can suggest malnutrition (unless the person is taking cholesterol-lowering medication).
- Since triglycerides are the main culprit linked to kidney disease, monitoring them closely is really important. That being said, the best triglyceride count in this situation has to be below 150 mg/dL.
- Good cholesterol also happens to have an impact on the risk of developing chronic kidney disease. The optimal level of HDL should be between 40 and 60 mg/dL, but anything over 60 can also protect you from cardiovascular disease as well.
Chronic kidney disease diet
In general, a diet suitable for a person with high cholesterol includes many vegetables and fruits, but also whole grains, with the purpose of increasing phosphorus and potassium. Those who need to adopt a diet suitable for kidney health shouldn’t consume foods rich in phosphorus and potassium, and may be required to eat more starch, fat, and sugar, to make sure that they get the required calorie intake.
A solution to help balance the two diets required for these two conditions is to opt for fish, lean meats, and fruits and vegetables that are low in potassium, but with highly antioxidant properties. Just by eating more foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, you can ensure a decent level of heart protection. Opt for oily fish found in cold waters, such as herring, trout, tuna, mackerel, and salmon.
Kidney disease and statins
It’s already been established that people who have chronic kidney disease are more likely to end up having cardiovascular disease as well. This happens because these two conditions share a lot of causes, high cholesterol being just one of them.
In these situations, doctors may choose to prescribe statins, drugs that are often the go-to of medical specialist looking to keep high blood under control. Some of the most common statins that doctors prescribe are simvastatin, fluvastatin, and atorvastatin.
Statins may also have a number of side effects, causing muscle and joint pain, diarrhea, constipation, and upset stomach, even headaches. Even so, it’s not uncommon for people with kidney disease to receive treatment that keeps cholesterol under control, seeing as how these two conditions can influence one another.