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REVIEW article

Front. Pharmacol.

Sec. Renal Pharmacology

Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fphar.2025.1615681

Renal Aging and Its Consequences: Navigating the Challenges of an Aging Population

Provisionally accepted
Meiqi ZhangMeiqi Zhang1Haifeng NiHaifeng Ni2Yumeng LinYumeng Lin3Ke WangKe Wang4Tingke HeTingke He5Lan YuanLan Yuan1*Zhongyu HanZhongyu Han2*Xiaohong ZuoXiaohong Zuo1*
  • 1School of Medical and Life Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
  • 2Institute of Nephrology, Zhongda Hospital, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China
  • 3Health Management Center, Nanjing Tongren Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing,, China
  • 4Deyang Hospital Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine,, Deyang, Sichuan Province, China
  • 5College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Yaan Shi, Sichuan, China

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With the aggravation of population aging, kidney aging and its impact on health have been widely concerned. Renal aging not only involves structural and functional changes but also is significantly linked to the occurrence and progression of some kidney diseases. Mechanisms of renal aging include oxidative stress, reduced Klotho levels, cellular senescence, and chronic inflammation. These changes lead to a sustained reduction in renal filtration, reabsorption, secretion, as well as endocrine function, which in turn affects overall health. Renal structural changes mainly include glomerulosclerosis, tubular degeneration and interstitial fibrosis. These structural changes are closely related to the decline of kidney function and may lead to the occurrence of chronic kidney disease (CKD). In addition, elderly individuals experience a higher rate of acute kidney injury (AKI) and face poorer prospects for recovery. The prevalence of age-related kidney disease, especially diabetic nephropathy (DN), increases with age. End-stage renal disease (ESRD) refers to the most advanced stage of CKD, in which the kidneys of patients show signs of premature aging compared with those of healthy people. Measures to prevent and delay renal aging in daily life, including healthy lifestyle, proper diet, and adequate exercise, are also discussed in this manuscript.

Keywords: Renal aging, AKI, CKD, dn, ESRD

Received: 23 May 2025; Accepted: 14 Jul 2025.

Copyright: © 2025 Zhang, Ni, Lin, Wang, He, Yuan, Han and Zuo. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

* Correspondence:
Lan Yuan, School of Medical and Life Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
Zhongyu Han, Institute of Nephrology, Zhongda Hospital, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210017, Jiangsu Province, China
Xiaohong Zuo, School of Medical and Life Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China

Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

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