Illness or injury can cause chronic kidney disease (CKD), a condition that permanently reduces the kidneys’ ability to perform properly. Diabetes is one of the leading causes of CKD. Diabetes causes high levels of sugar in the blood, which makes the kidneys work harder. This extra workload can cause the blood vessels in the kidneys to wear out, which may lead to CKD.
Normally, the kidneys send a signal to the bone marrow to create more red blood cells whenever the body needs them. A hormone called erythropoietin is the signal, or trigger, released by the kidney to stimulate the production of red blood cells, which carry oxygen throughout the body.
Kidney disease causes the body to produce less erythropoietin, resulting in fewer red blood cells being produced. The decrease in red blood cells — a condition called anemia — means that less oxygen is delivered to the body.
