According to the study findings, the risk of kidney problems may be lowered by managing and treating constipation. The study looked at medical records of 3.5 million U.S. veterans with normal kidney function.
The researchers found that those with constipation had a 13 percent higher risk of chronic kidney disease and nine percent higher risk of experiencing kidney failure. The severity of kidney disease increased with the severity of constipation.
Coauthor of the study Dr. Csaba Kovesdy explained, “Our findings highlight the plausible link between the gut and the kidneys and provide additional insights into the possible causes of kidney disease. Our results suggest the need for careful observation of kidney function trajectory in patients with constipation, particularly among those with more severe constipation.”
The findings were published in Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN).