Global Study Reveals Alarming Surge in Chronic Kidney Disease
Dr. Joseph Mercola - Take Control of Your Health
Briana Mercola
4.6 • 1.5K Ratings
🗓️ 20 January 2026
⏱️ 8 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
- Chronic kidney disease (CKD) now affects about 788 million adults worldwide, more than double the number in 1990, making it one of the most widespread and underrecognized health threats
- A recent systematic analysis published in The Lancet revealed that CKD is now the ninth leading cause of death globally, responsible for roughly 1.48 million deaths in 2023 alone
- High blood sugar, elevated blood pressure, and excess body weight are the leading drivers of CKD worldwide, together accounting for most of the disease's overall health burden
- Early-stage CKD affects over 13% of the adult population globally, yet most cases remain undiagnosed because symptoms often don't appear until the disease is advanced
- You can lower your risk of CKD by keeping your blood pressure and blood sugar in check, getting regular movement, staying hydrated, reducing processed foods, and supporting kidney function with balanced nutrition
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | What if a silent condition were steadily damaging your kidneys for years without a single symptom to warn you? |
| 0:06.0 | Welcome to Dr. Mercola's cellular wisdom. Stay informed with quick, easy-to-listen summaries of our latest articles, perfect for when you're on the go. |
| 0:14.0 | No reading required. Subscribe for free at Mercola.com for the latest health insights. |
| 0:19.0 | Hello and welcome to Dr. Mercola's cellular wisdom. |
| 0:22.6 | I'm Ethan Foster. |
| 0:23.6 | Today we're examining the surge in chronic kidney disease, |
| 0:26.6 | why so many cases go undetected, and which actions help you lower risk and slow progression. |
| 0:33.6 | I'm Alara Sky. |
| 0:34.6 | We'll break down how kidney function is measured, why early stages are often missed, |
| 0:40.3 | and what the latest global data say about the top drivers of kidney decline. |
| 0:44.3 | Chronic kidney disease is a slow, progressive loss of filtration that advances over months or years. |
| 0:50.3 | You may feel fine while remaining filters work harder, but that compensation masks |
| 0:55.5 | ongoing damage. Unlike sudden injury, CKD usually leads to permanent loss of function. |
| 1:02.1 | Clinicians track two markers. Estimated glomerular filtration rate, or EGFR, shows how much |
| 1:09.1 | blood your kidneys filter each minute. |
| 1:16.3 | Below 60 signals reduced function, and below 15 indicates failure. |
| 1:23.7 | Albumin to creatinine ratio, or ACR, detects protein leaking into urine. |
| 1:30.3 | Together, EGFR and ACR reveal performance and structural damage, guiding staging and treatment. |
| 1:32.3 | KD moves through five stages. |
| 1:35.3 | Stages 1 and 2 show early damage with near-normal function and few symptoms. |
| 1:40.3 | Stage 3A and 3B reflect moderate loss. Waste begins to build. |
| 1:45.0 | Blood pressure often rises and fatigue or swelling may appear. |
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