Abstract
During strenuous exercise, blood flow through the kidneys can drop to 25% of the resting value. A combination of sympathetic nerve activity and catecholamine release is involved in this process.
The reduction in renal blood flow during exercise and the degree of hydration have a significant effect on the level of glomerular filtration. Post-exercise proteinuria (PEP) is a common finding after exercise.
For short-term loads, albuminuria has been shown to reach the highest levels at the most intense loads. However, significant PEP is also detected after strenuous endurance loads associated with local vasoconstriction and hypoxia.
The intensity and duration of the load are related to the degree of microtraumatic damage to muscle tissue. Some information on the incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI) in demanding ultramarathon runs indicates a prevalence of up to 80%, fortunately in the vast majority of cases full recovery will occur within a few days.
One of the risks of the hyperprotein diet is dehydration, associated with increased renal excretion of protein metabolites - urea and other nitrogenous wastes. Prolonged consumption of high supplemental doses of proteins and androgenic anabolic steroids can cause focal segmental glomerulosclerosis and other pathological changes.
Healthy kidneys successfully cope with such one-time loads as high-demanding training and competitive sports performances, including extreme endurance loads. An active lifestyle with sufficient physical activity significantly affects the regulation of optimal blood pressure and thus reduces the risk of chronic kidney disease.