There is rarely one universal cause.
Some online articles attribute kidney failure in young adults almost entirely to fast food, protein intake, energy drinks, or sitting too much. The reality is more complicated.
In adults overall, the two most common causes of chronic kidney disease are **diabetes and high blood pressure**.
Other important risk factors include obesity, cardiovascular disease, smoking, a family history of kidney disease, and previous episodes of acute kidney injury.
Young people may also develop kidney disease because of inherited or autoimmune disorders, congenital abnormalities, infections, certain medications, or specific occupational and environmental exposures.
## 1. High Blood Pressure Can Damage the Kidneys Silently
High blood pressure is one of the most important preventable causes of kidney damage.
The kidneys contain networks of delicate blood vessels. Persistently elevated blood pressure can damage these vessels, gradually reducing the kidneys’ ability to remove waste and excess fluid.
Kidney disease can then make blood pressure even harder to control, creating a damaging cycle.
