When it comes to type 2 diabetes, the kidneys are one of the most commonly affected areas of the body. The damage inflicted on the kidneys, which can range from mild to severe, can cause the kidneys to stop working altogether. One of the problems is that much of this damage happens before you even realize it’s happening. That’s why it’s important to understand how diabetes and kidney damage are related.

The most serious complication of diabetes that affects the urinary tract is nephropathy, which affects the kidneys. Kidney disease usually occurs in people who have had diabetes for a long time.

How serious is kidney disease among diabetics? Statistics show that the kidneys are more damaged by diabetes than by any other condition. But it’s not just older adults to worry about: Type 1 diabetics are a dozen times more likely to experience kidney damage than Type 2 diabetics.

What exactly does diabetes do to your kidneys? The delicate blood vessels in the kidneys are responsible for filtering waste from your body. As blood flows through the kidneys, these blood vessels, known as capillaries, capture and remove toxins and waste from the blood. Diabetes, or unstable, high blood sugar, plays havoc with these delicate capillaries and slowly destroys them, reducing and ultimately preventing the kidneys from being able to do their jobs.

When your kidneys can no longer function properly, these toxins begin to build up in your blood and slowly poison your body. Since they are found in the blood, they are subsequently transported throughout the body through the bloodstream.

But the damage doesn’t stop there. Damaged kidneys are also unable to remove excess fluid from your body in a timely manner. This liquid has to go somewhere, so it begins to be absorbed into the tissue. The result is retained water. Not a problem, you say? This is when it begins to build up around your body’s organs, including your heart. As the volume of water increases, so does the pressure it applies to your heart.

There is also another component that is retained within your body: salt. Since the body cannot excrete this excess salt as it should, it remains in your body. This increases blood pressure and increases the risk of stroke and heart attack.

There is one more problem: excess sugar is also allowed to remain inside the body. Instead of being able to get rid of it by urinating, it builds up in the body from the tissue to the blood. Excess sugar wreaks havoc on blood vessels, nerves, tissues, and organs.