Health

Talking About Mineral And Bone Disorder

Before we talk about anything else about mineral and bone disorders, we have to tell you that your kidneys play an essential role in maintaining your bone health. That might surprise you. Many of us do not know that. A common question that arises in one’s mind is how kidneys play a role in maintaining bone health. Let us tell you that.

Your kidneys excrete waste from your body and prevent the accumulation of toxins. Moreover, they help build red blood cells. Not only this, but they also maintain your bone health by keeping the number of minerals your body needs. 

When your kidney can not keep the optimal amount of minerals your body needs, it results in bone disorder. When you have kidney disease or kidney failure, your kidneys do not work well and perform their job. It affects your body hastily. Almost every person with kidney disease has weak and brittle bones.

 If you have kidney disease, you will have to attend frequent visits with the healthcare provider. Make sure to attend them. If you do not do that, other health complications may arise. To get an expert opinion, you can consult an Internal medicine Doctor in Lahore

What Is Mineral And Bone Disorder?

When your kidneys do not work well, a disbalance occurs between blood calcium and phosphorus levels. It eventually results in weak bones- a condition known as mineral and bone disorder. To stay healthy your bones need an optimal amount of minerals and nutrients. The mineral and bone disorder not only affects your bones, but blood vessels and heart too.

How Do Kidney Disease And Kidney Failure Lead To Bone And Heart Disease?

Your kidneys are the vital organs that play an essential role in maintaining homeostasis in the body. When they do not work well, they can not excrete the phosphorus mineral from your body. When you eat foods containing different nutrients, eventually phosphorus builds up in your body.

When your kidneys work well, they convert inactive vitamin D into active vitamin D, which is beneficial for your bone health. But when they do not work well, there is not enough active vitamin D that can protect your bones. Vitamin D plays a role in maintaining the balance of phosphorus and calcium in your body. When your kidneys do not work well, and there is a shortage of active vitamin D, the balance between calcium and phosphorus gets out, eventually affecting your bone health.

 When your body has high phosphorus and calcium levels, as a compensatory mechanism it produces too much parathyroid hormone. An increase in parathyroid hormones causes your bones to lose calcium that moves into the blood, eventually causing the weakening of the bones. When calcium moves from the bones to blood, the bones become weak, fragile, and brittle, prone to fractures. When blood has high calcium, it may also deposit in the heart and the blood vessels, affecting their blood circulation. If you have pre existing heart disease, it can worsen it.

What Are The Signs And Symptoms Of Bone And Mineral Disorder?

 The symptoms of bone and mineral disorders are:

  • Itchy skin
  • Bone pain
  • Heart problems
  • Anemia
  • Nerve problems
  • Suppressed immune system
  • Weak and brittle bones that are prone to fractures. On a simple blow, you may break your bone. Therefore be extremely cautious about your bone health if you have kidney disease.

How To Know If You Have Bone And Mineral Disorder?

Your healthcare provider would ask you to get frequent blood tests to know your blood calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin D levels. However, in some people, a bone biopsy may also be done. 

Sometimes, your healthcare provider would ask you to get an X-ray of your abdomen done or an echocardiogram of your heart to know the health status of your heart and blood vessels.

What Is The Treatment For Mineral And Bone Disorder? 

People with kidney failure or kidney disease need treatment for mineral and bone disorders. Your healthcare provider will decide it depending on your health condition. The common tips are:

  • Eat a low phosphate diet that prevents its buildup in your body.
  • Your healthcare provider will prescribe you phosphate binders and phosphate absorption inhibitors. Along with them, you will also need active vitamin D.
  • You will also need to take calcimimetics that can help prevent calcium buildup in the blood.
  • Do not take any calcium supplement on your own. Always consult your healthcare provider first about that.
  • If your parathyroid hormone levels are so high, your healthcare providers may surgically remove it or a part of it.
  • Exercises may also help to strengthen your weak bones. However, before starting any program, consult a healthcare provider. To get an expert opinion, you can visit Dr. Fayyaz Ahmad Ranjha.