What Is The Link Between Weak Bones And Dialysis Patients

2015-01-21 11:33

Weak bone occurs when kidneys fail to maintain the proper levels of calcium and phosphorus in the blood, leading to abnormal bone hormone levels. Bone disease is a common problem in people with kidney disease and affects almost all patients who are on dialysis.

How do weak bones occur in dialysis?

The kidneys are important organs to maintain healthy bone mass and structure because one of their jobs is to balance calcium and phosphorus levels in the blood and ensure the vitamin D a person receives from sunlight and food become activated.

1. Calcium and weak bones

When kidneys are damaged, calcium levels in the blood usually become too low and then four small glands in the neck called the parathyroid glands release a hormone called parathyroid hormone (PTH). This hormone will draw calcium from the bones to raise blood calcium levels. Too much PTH in blood will remove too much calcium from the bones. The constant removal of calcium over time will weaken the bones.

2. Phosphorus and weak bones

Phosphorus is able to regulate calcium levels in the bones. Healthy kidneys remove excess phosphorus from the blood. When the kidneys fail to work normally, phosphorus levels in the blood can become too high, leading to lower levels of calcium in the blood and leading to higher PTH levels and the loss of calcium from the bones.

3. Vitamin D and weak bones

Healthy kidneys produce calcitriol from vitamin D that is received from sunlight and food. Caccitriol helps the body absorb dietary calcium and phosphorus into the blood and bones. In a person with kidney failure, the kidneys fail to make calcitriol. The body cannot absorb calcium from food, leading to increased PTH levels. The combination of decreased calcium absorption from food and PTH drawing calcium from bones makes the bones weak and brittle.

From the above, we can see to alleviate weak bones, reducing dietary intake of phosphorus is one of the most important steps in preventing bone disease and it is especially high in milk, cheese, dried beans, peas, nuts and peanut butter. In addition, the radical way for weak bones is to improve kidney function. When kidney function is recovered, it can excrete excess phosphorus and regulate hormone. After this treatment, weak bones can be treated from the root and effectively.

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