You may be able to increase your glomerular filtration rate (GFR) with changes to your lifestyle and diet. Some medications or supplements may also help improve kidney function.
Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is a measure of how well your kidneys are working.
You may need to monitor your kidney health if your kidneys aren’t functioning properly or you receive a diagnosis of kidney disease.
Here are some ways to help improve your GFR rate and protect your kidney health.
Diet plays a key role in managing and preventing kidney disease.
You may need to control how much sodium, potassium, protein, and phosphorous you consume. These may put additional strain on your kidneys.
A
- DASH diet
- Meditteranean diet
- whole food, plant-based diets
Speak with a healthcare professional or registered dietitian if you’re unsure about your diet. They could help develop a diet plan for your condition and recommend foods to avoid and foods to eat if you have kidney disease.
A
High blood pressure (hypertension) is the
It can narrow your blood vessels, which
Controlling your blood sugar is key to avoiding kidney damage, especially if you have diabetes.
According to the
Drinking enough water helps improve your kidney’s ability to filter toxins, as well as regulate urination to excrete these toxins.
A 2021 study suggests the optimal amount of water to drink if you have kidney disease is 1–2 liters per day. That said, the authors note that drinking too much water may also pose a risk to your kidneys.
If you have severe kidney disease, you may need to restrict fluid intake because your kidneys are less effective at removing extra water from your body.
Extra fluid may lead to edema, which might need to be treated with diuretics or hemodialysis.
Some medications may affect your kidney function.
If you receive a diagnosis of kidney disease and you’re taking medications for another health condition, speak with a doctor. They could help determine the best course of action, which may require stopping, replacing, or adjusting the dose of certain medications.
Medications that impact your kidneys are known as nephrotoxins.
The following
- pain relievers, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
- diabetes medications
- antibiotics
- proton pump inhibitors
- statins
- erectile dysfunction medication
Speak with a healthcare professional about taking supplements, vitamins, or herbal remedies. These may also affect your kidneys and increase your risk of potential side effects.
Kidney disease may develop slowly over time, but some early signs and symptoms may indicate something is wrong. According to the National Kidney Foundation, these may include:
- itching
- foamy urine
- bloody urine
- frequent or infrequent urination
- fatigue
- trouble sleeping
- puffiness or swelling
- muscle cramps
- decreased appetite
Speak with a healthcare professional if you experience any of these symptoms or if you have a family history of kidney problems. Many times, people are diagnosed with kidney disease when routine lab work is done for another reason.
The GFR comes from the name of the filtering units inside your kidneys, called glomeruli.
These complex structures are
There are two types of GFR tests:
- Estimated GFR (eGFR): This is the most common kidney function measurement. It calculates how well your kidneys filter waste products produced by your body, such as creatine and cystatin C.
- Measured GFR (mGFR): This is the most accurate measurement. It calculates how well your kidneys filter waste products not produced by your body, such as inulin and iohexol.
Although a creatinine blood test (eGFR) is the most common way of testing for kidney disease, it’s not always a good indicator of kidney health. This is because creatine levels may vary and fluctuate for each individual.
According to the National Kidney Foundation, the mGFR test is the best formula for calculating kidney health because it takes into consideration more than just creatine levels.
GFR and kidney disease stages
GFR results provide a measurement of the amount of blood in milliliters your kidneys can filter per minute (mL/min).
These results help a doctor classify your kidney damage between stages 1–5, with stage 5 kidney disease being the most advanced.
The National Kidney Foundation lists the following GFR scores and kidney disease stages, and what to expect in each:
| GFR (mL/min) | Stage | Function |
|---|---|---|
| 90 or above | stage 1 | normal kidney function |
| 60–89 | stage 2 | mild damage |
| 45–59 | stage 3a | mild to moderate damage |
| 30–44 | stage 3b | moderate to severe damage |
| 15–29 | stage 4 | severe damage |
| under 15 | stage 5 | kidney failure |
It’s important to note that many GFR test results are 60 mL/min or higher because you may have stage 1 or 2 kidney disease, but still have normal kidney function.
Kidney disease is a chronic and gradually progressing disease. As you advance through the stages of kidney disease, you may experience more symptoms.
It may be possible to improve your GFR with acute kidney injuries, but this may be more difficult with chronic kidney disease.
Can kidney function go back to normal?
Whether kidney function can be reversed depends on the severity of the damage. Acute kidney disease
Can poor kidney function get better?
Some lifestyle changes like diet modification, controlling blood pressure, and managing blood sugar levels could help improve kidney function.
How can I rebuild my kidney function?
Some ways to help rebuild your kidney function include making lifestyle changes like quitting smoking if you smoke, limiting alcohol, exercising, and staying well hydrated. A healthcare professional may also help develop a treatment plan for you.
How long does it take to improve kidney function?
The duration of kidney function improvement depends on the severity of the damage. For example, acute kidney failure may be restored within a few days or when the cause is treated. However, chronic kidney function may require lifelong treatment.
GFR is a measurement of how much blood your kidneys can filter. Improving your GFR isn’t easy, but it can happen.
Speak with a healthcare professional about changes you can make to your lifestyle and diet.
While few medications can help treat kidney disease, managing conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes can go a long way in extending the life of your kidneys.
