When you have kidney disease, Mineral and Bone Disorder (offer referred to as MBD) Is one of the many complications that can occur.  MBD happens when there is an imbalance in your blood levels of minerals such as calcium and phosphorus. Minerals are nutrients that your body needs to help keep your bones healthy and when this imbalance occurs, bones may lose calcium and become weak. In addition, some calcium and phosphorus may end up in parts of your body where they do not belong, like your heart and blood vessels.  This can lead to heart disease. Finding and treating Mineral and Bone Disorder is important. It will help you keep your bones and heart healthy.

What Causes Mineral & Bone Disorder?

Chronic kidney disease causes mineral and bone disorder because the kidneys have lost the ability to balance the mineral levels in the body.  The kidneys stop activating calcitriol (Vitamin D).  These low levels of Vitamin D create an imbalance of calcium in the blood.  The kidney also loses the ability to remove excess phosphorous in the blood resulting in high levels of phosphorus.  This extra phosphorus pulls calcium from the bones, causing them to weaken.  In response to these high levels of phosphorus, the parathyroid gland releases the parathyroid hormone (PTH) in order to pull calcium from the bone and raise calcium levels.  This continuous cycle robs the bones of the much needed calcium, causing them to become weak and brittle.