Chronic kidney disease, or CKD, is a serious condition that affects millions of people around the world.
People with CKD often need dialysis—a treatment that removes waste from the blood—to stay alive. Sadly, there are no approved medicines that can actually improve how well the kidneys work.
But researchers from Tohoku University in Japan may have found a surprising new way to help. They discovered that a drug normally used to treat constipation might also protect the kidneys.
The drug is called lubiprostone. The team, led by Professor Takaaki Abe, shared their findings in the journal Science Advances. This is the first time lubiprostone has been shown to slow or stop the worsening of kidney function.
Professor Abe and his team started looking into this idea because they noticed that many people with CKD also have constipation. They found that constipation can upset the balance of bacteria in the gut. This imbalance can cause problems in the body and may make kidney disease worse.
So they asked an important question: If you treat constipation, can you also help the kidneys?
To test this, the researchers did a clinical trial with 150 people who had moderate CKD. The trial took place in nine hospitals in Japan. Some of the patients were given lubiprostone, and the scientists checked to see how their kidney function changed over time.
The results were exciting. People who took the drug had a slower drop in kidney function. This was measured using a standard test called eGFR (estimated glomerular filtration rate). The people who took higher doses of the drug saw the most benefit.
The researchers also wanted to understand how the drug works. They found that lubiprostone raises levels of a substance in the body called spermidine. Spermidine helps the healthy bacteria in the gut grow.
These good bacteria then improve how the mitochondria—the cell’s energy centers—work. When mitochondria work better, they can protect the kidneys from damage.
The scientists now want to test this treatment in more people. They also hope to figure out which patients will get the most benefit from it. Their long-term goal is to create personalized treatment plans for people with CKD, based on their gut health and how their cells produce energy.
This study could change the way doctors treat CKD. Instead of only focusing on removing waste from the blood, doctors might also try to support the gut and help the body’s cells stay healthy. This could open the door to new treatments for other diseases too—especially those linked to problems with mitochondria.
Overall, this discovery offers new hope to people with CKD. By treating related issues like constipation and improving gut health, scientists are finding new ways to protect the kidneys and improve lives.
If you care about kidney health, please read studies about pesticide linked to chronic kidney disease, and this drug may prevent kidney failure in people with diabetes.
For more health information, please see recent studies about drug duo that may treat kidney failure, and results showing these vegetables may protect against kidney damage.
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