Simple answer, yes. Diabetes is the common cause of kidney damage.  

How Does Diabetes cause kidney disease?  [1] [2] 

Each kidney is made up of millions of cells called nephrons. Nephrons play a vital role in kidney function in filtering your blood. Blood toxins and other waste products are excreted in your urine. Filtration happens as your blood passes through your kidney, carried by your blood vessels.  

The high sugar levels in your blood damage blood vessels around the kidney, which are essential in the filtration process. Over time, the damage accumulates leading to kidney scarring, and causing leakage of important proteins, like albumin, in your urine.  

How Can I tell if I have early-stage kidney damage? [2] 

Early-stage kidney damage has no visible symptoms. Hence, getting tested is the only way to determine the health of your kidneys 

Your healthcare professional will use blood tests and urine tests to check for issues. For diabetic suffers, it is recommended to get their kidney tested yearly.  

Worried about your kidneys? No worries! For the rest of 2022, get a FREE kidney screening at any BIG Pharmacy outlet today! Act now before it's too late! 

References 

1. Diabetes and Chronic Kidney Disease. (2021). Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/managing/diabetes-kidney-disease.html 

1. Malaysian Health Technology Assessment Section (MaHTAS). (2018). Management of Chronic Kidney Disease [Ebook] (2nd ed). Kuala Lumpur. Retrieved from https://www.moh.gov.my/moh/resources/penerbitan/CPG/CPG%20Management%20of%20Chronic%20Kidney%20%20Disease%20(Second%20Edition).pdf