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Arsenic & Renal Failure

Over-exposure to arsenic can cause renal failure. Arsenic is toxic to the human body and in large quantities can cause damage to any of the major organs, including the kidneys. Its effects can range from mildly damaging to life-threatening as kidney failure, depending on several factors.

  1. How Arsenic Toxicity Occurs

    • The main source of arsenic toxicity is contaminated well water. Arsenic is a naturally occurring metal that can exist in water sources, but in an inorganic state can be quite deadly if ingested in certain quantities over time. Fish and other animals can have high levels of arsenic in them, which passes into your body when you eat them. You can also inhale it, especially from an industrial source, such as workplaces that have smelters or use arsenic-based pesticides.

    Renal Effects of Arsenic Toxicity

    • The effects of arsenic toxicity cover a wide range in the human body, but with regard to renal effects, the damage can be life-threatening. If the arsenic toxicity is chronic, it can cause the death of kidney tubes and subsequent kidney failure. Additionally, it can cause blood in the urine (proteinuria), which is a sign of kidney damage and potential kidney failure, if not treated immediately. Ultimately, the arsenic is too poisonous for the kidneys to process correctly.

    Outer Physical Symptoms of Renal Damage or Failure

    • Renal damage can exhibit no symptoms at all or mild physical symptoms. Light-headedness, fatigue and headaches are the most common outer physical symptoms.

    Physical Symptoms of Renal Damage or Failure

    • The symptoms that cause a doctor to determine extremely high arsenic toxicity levels include presence of enzymes in the urine, proteinuria (blood in the urine), tubular necrosis (death of the kidney tubes/renal failure), increased levels of urea in the blood, hydrogen ion in the blood or high levels of blood electrolytes. All are symptoms of either renal damage or failure, although tubular necrosis is normally a sure sign of failure, which can be fatal.

    Prescriptive Treatment for Renal Damage and/or Failure

    • Two things can rid the body of arsenic toxicity, prior to needing to rely on dialysis. There is normal liquid flushing and chelating therapy, which introduces a non-toxic heavy metal to the body, that is able to bind arsenic from the kidneys and then eliminate itself along with the arsenic. Kidney failure can result in the need for a kidney transplant.

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