The excess sugar that can be found in many processed foods today plagues many different parts of the body, wreaking unknown havoc. In this section the damage to the excretory, or urinary, system is explored. From kidney stones, to UTIs, to kidney failure, sugar plays a role in some very common ailments of the excretory system that we never knew about. Although these ailments, like kidney stones and UTIs, aren’t only caused by excess sugars in your foods, it is important to see how sugar is affecting the occurrence of these. Furthermore, diabetes makes the situation more complicated, predisposing the patient to many difficulties in the excretory system because of the pressure it puts on the kidneys and the excess waste found within the blood and urine.
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Complications of Diabetes
There are numerous complications to the excretory system as a result of diabetes. One of them is discussed below: nephron damage. Nephron damage results from high blood pressure, a common result of diabetes. Those with diabetes also tend to begin to have protein appear in their urine in higher than normal levels, which is a result of the excess sugar and pressure on the kidneys. This, along with kidney failure, signals kidney disease, a common ailment for those with diabetes. Those with diabetes often struggle with urinary tract infections. (3)
Kidney Stones
Kidney stones can be caused by many things, often created by inadequate calcium and fluids within the body. Kidney stones are formed from chemicals within the urine being created in the kidney, which crystallize when there is more waste than liquid and accumulate with other molecules, forming a stone. Too much of added sugars like fructose elevate the risk of kidney stones. A study by Pietro Manuel Ferraro in correspondence with the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Rome, Italy found that in 194,095 patients, there was a 23% more chance of kidney stones in the group consuming the most sugar, in this case from sodas. Those not drinking sodas did not have this elevated risk. There was also an 18% increased chance for punch, another drink sweetened with sugars. (1,4)
High levels of sugar in the blood, especially in those who have diabetes. A study by Srinivas M Aswani in 2014 in the Australasian Medical Journal examined UTIs in those with diabetes. It was found that those with diabetes had more pyelonephritis, another term for the infection of the kidneys as a result of UTIs. They also found that diabetics had more E. coli, the bacteria influencing UTIs, and more glycosylated hemoglobin, or hemoglobin with glucose attached, which makes diabetics more prone to UTIs. (5)
Degenerating the Kidneys
One problem that often results from high intakes of sugar is high blood pressure. High blood pressure can be detrimental to the kidneys as it puts intense pressure on the little structures within them that actually filter the blood, these are called nephrons. Prolonged exposure to high blood pressure within the kidneys damages the nephrons, which can lead to kidney failure. Kidney failure usually results in a need for dialysis, which artificially filters the blood. (2)