What Effect Does Alcohol Have On The Kidneys?

August 12, 2014, 10:06am EDT Drinking alcohol affects many parts of your body, including your kidneys. A little alcohol—one or two drinks now and then—usually has no serious effects. However, excessive drinking–more than four drinks daily—can affect your health and worsen kidney disease.

When experts talk about one drink, they are talking about one 12–ounce bottle of beer, one glass of wine, or one ounce (one shot) of “hard liquor.” The Centers for Disease Control estimates that most American adults (two out of three) drink alcohol. Too often, some of these regular drinkers have more than five drinks at one time.

In fact, about a quarter of drinkers reported they had done this on at least one day in the past year. “Binge” drinking has harmful effects on the kidney that can even lead to acute kidney failure. A sudden drop in kidney function is called acute kidney failure.

This often goes away after a time, but it can occasionally lead to lasting kidney damage.
Even without binge drinking, regularly drinking too much too often can also damage the kidneys.
The damage occurs more slowly.
Regular heavy drinking has been found to double the risk chronic kidney disease, which does not go away over time.

Even higher risk of kidney problems has been found for heavy drinkers who also smoke. Smokers who are heavy drinkers have about five times the chance of developing CKD than people who don’t smoke or drink alcohol to excess. Some people should not drink at all.

Check with your doctor, especially if you take medications that might be affected by using alcohol. Women, older people, and those with smaller bodies should be especially careful. Of course, pregnant women are advised not to drink alcohol. The kidneys have an important job as a filter for harmful substances.

One of these substances is alcohol. The kidneys of heavy drinkers have to work harder. Alcohol causes changes in the function of the kidneys and makes them less able to filter the blood. Alcohol also affects the ability to regulate fluid and electrolytes in the body.

When alcohol dehydrates (dries out) the body, the drying effect can affect the normal function of cells and organs, including the kidneys.
In addition, alcohol can disrupt hormones that affect kidney function.
Too much alcohol can also affect your blood pressure.
People who drink too much are more likely to have high blood pressure.

And medications for high blood pressure can be affected by alcohol. High blood pressure is a common cause of kidney disease. More than two drinks a day can increase your chance of developing high blood pressure. Drinking alcohol in these amounts is a risk factor for developing a sign of kidney disease, protein in the urine (albuminuria).

The good news is that you can prevent this by not drinking too much alcohol. By promoting liver disease, chronic drinking adds to the kidney’s job. The rate of blood flow to the kidneys is usually kept at a certain level, so that the kidney can filter the blood well. Established liver disease impairs this important balancing act.

In fact, most patients in the United States diagnosed with both liver disease and associated kidney dysfunction are alcohol dependent. Always check with your doctor to make sure it is safe for you to drink alcohol. Even if it is safe, it is important to drink in moderation.

Contents

1 How damaging is alcohol to the kidneys?
- 1.1 How long do you have to drink alcohol to damage your kidneys?
2 Is drinking a lot of water good for your kidneys?

How damaging is alcohol to the kidneys?

Abstract – Both acute and chronic alcohol consumption can compromise kidney function, particularly in conjunction with established liver disease. Investigators have observed alcohol-related changes in the structure and function of the kidneys and impairment in their ability to regulate the volume and composition of fluid and electrolytes in the body.

Chronic alcoholic patients may experience low blood concentrations of key electrolytes as well as potentially severe alterations in the body’s acid-base balance.
In addition, alcohol can disrupt the hormonal control mechanisms that govern kidney function.
By promoting liver disease, chronic drinking has further detrimental effects on the kidneys, including impaired sodium and fluid handling and even acute kidney failure.

Keywords: kidney function, kidney disorder, disorder of fluid or electrolyte or acid-base balance, alcoholic liver disorder, hormones, body fluid, blood circulation, blood pressure, sodium, potassium, phosphates, magnesium, calcium, literature review A cell’s function depends not only on receiving a continuous supply of nutrients and eliminating metabolic waste products but also on the existence of stable physical and chemical conditions in the extracellular fluid 1 bathing it.

Among the most important substances contributing to these conditions are water, sodium, potassium, calcium, and phosphate. Loss or retention of any one of these substances can influence the body’s handling of the others. In addition, hydrogen ion concentration (i.e., acid-base balance) influences cell structure and permeability as well as the rate of metabolic reactions.

The amounts of these substances must be held within very narrow limits, regardless of the large variations possible in their intake or loss. The kidneys are the organs primarily responsible for regulating the amounts and concentrations of these substances in the extracellular fluid.

In addition to their role in regulating the body’s fluid composition, the kidneys produce hormones that influence a host of physiological processes, including blood pressure regulation, red blood cell production, and calcium metabolism. Besides producing hormones, the kidneys respond to the actions of regulatory hormones produced in the brain, the parathyroid glands in the neck, and the adrenal glands located atop the kidneys.

Because of the kidneys’ important and varied role in the body, impairment of their function can result in a range of disorders, from mild variations in fluid balance to acute kidney failure and death. Alcohol, one of the numerous factors that can compromise kidney function, can interfere with kidney function directly, through acute or chronic consumption, or indirectly, as a consequence of liver disease.

How long do you have to drink alcohol to damage your kidneys?

How much alcohol is too much? – When experts talk about one drink, they are talking about one 12-ounce bottle of beer, one glass of wine (5 ounces), or one shot (1.5 ounces) of “hard liquor.” Having more than three drinks in a day (or more than seven per week) for women, and more than four drinks in a day (or more than 14 per week) for men, is considered “heavy” drinking.

The kidneys of heavy drinkers have to work harder.
Heavy drinking on a regular basis has been found to double the risk for kidney disease.
Binge drinking (usually more than four to five drinks within two hours) can raise a person’s blood alcohol to dangerous levels.
This can cause a sudden drop in kidney function known as “acute kidney injury.” When this happens, dialysis is needed until a person’s kidney function returns to normal.

Acute kidney injury usually goes away in time, but in some cases, it can lead to lasting kidney damage. Some people should not drink at all. Ask your healthcare provider if it is safe for you to drink, especially if you have a medical condition or take medicines that might be affected by using alcohol.

Is drinking a lot of water good for your kidneys?

6 Tips To Be “Water Wise” for Healthy Kidneys April 28, 2015, 11:39am EDT Keep your kidneys healthy by being “water wise.” This means drinking the right amount of water for you. A common misconception is that everyone should drink eight glasses of water per day, but since everyone is different, daily water needs will vary by person.

How much water you need is based on differences in age, climate, exercise intensity, as well as states of pregnancy, breastfeeding, and illness.
About 60-70% of your body weight is made up of water, and every part of your body needs it to function properly.
Water helps the kidneys remove wastes from your blood in the form of urine.

You might be interested: How Long Will Cherries Last In Moonshine?

Water also helps keep your blood vessels open so that blood can travel freely to your kidneys, and deliver essential nutrients to them. But if you become dehydrated, then it is more difficult for this delivery system to work. Mild dehydration can make you feel tired, and can impair normal bodily functions.

Eight is great, but not set in stone. There is no hard and fast rule that everyone needs 8 glasses of water a day. This is just a general recommendation based on the fact that we continually lose water from our bodies, and that we need adequate water intake to survive and optimal amounts to thrive. The Institute of Medicine has estimated that men need approximately 13 cups (3 liters) of fluid daily, and that women need approximately 9 cups (2.2 liters) of fluid daily. Less is more if you have kidney failure (a.k.a. end stage kidney disease). When the kidneys fail, people don’t excrete enough water, if any at all. For those who are receiving dialysis treatment, water must actually be greatly restricted. It’s possible to drink too much water. Though it is not very common for this to happen in the average person, endurance athletes like marathoners may drink large amounts of water and thereby dilute the sodium level in their blood, resulting in a dangerous condition called, Your urine can reveal a lot. For the average person, “water wise” means drinking enough water or other healthy fluids, such as unsweetened juice or low fat milk to quench thirst and to keep your urine light yellow or colorless. When your urine is dark yellow, this indicates that you are dehydrated. You should be making about 1.5 liters of urine daily (about 6 cups). H2O helps prevent kidney stones and UTIs. Kidney stones and urinary tract infections (UTIs) are two common medical conditions that can hurt the kidneys, and for which good hydration is essential. form less easily when there is sufficient water available to prevent stone-forming crystals from sticking together. Water helps dissolve the antibiotics used to treat urinary tract infections, making them more effective. Drinking enough water also helps produce more urine, which helps to flush out infection-causing bacteria. Beware of pills and procedures. Drinking extra water with certain medications or before and after procedures with contrast dye may help prevent kidney damage. Read medication labels and ask questions before undergoing medical procedures involving contrast dyes. Always consult with your healthcare provider first though, especially if you are on a fluid restriction.

Remember.when “water wise,” healthy kidneys are the prize! : 6 Tips To Be “Water Wise” for Healthy Kidneys

Does wine hurt your kidneys?

When experts talk about one drink, they are talking about one 12–ounce bottle of beer, one glass of wine, or one ounce (one shot) of “hard liquor.” The Centers for Disease Control estimates that most American adults (two out of three) drink alcohol. Too often, some of these regular drinkers have more than five drinks at one time.

This often goes away after a time, but it can occasionally lead to lasting kidney damage.
Even without binge drinking, regularly drinking too much too often can also damage the kidneys.
The damage occurs more slowly.
Regular heavy drinking has been found to double the risk chronic kidney disease, which does not go away over time.

Check with your doctor, especially if you take medications that might be affected by using alcohol.
Women, older people, and those with smaller bodies should be especially careful.
Of course, pregnant women are advised not to drink alcohol.
The kidneys have an important job as a filter for harmful substances.

When alcohol dehydrates (dries out) the body, the drying effect can affect the normal function of cells and organs, including the kidneys. In addition, alcohol can disrupt hormones that affect kidney function. Too much alcohol can also affect your blood pressure. People who drink too much are more likely to have high blood pressure.

Does Alcohol Affect Your Kidneys? | The Cooking Doc®

The good news is that you can prevent this by not drinking too much alcohol. By promoting liver disease, chronic drinking adds to the kidney’s job. The rate of blood flow to the kidneys is usually kept at a certain level, so that the kidney can filter the blood well. Established liver disease impairs this important balancing act.

Is Coffee bad for the kidneys?

Your Blood Pressure – Caffeine causes a short but sudden increase in blood pressure, Research has not shown that drinking 3-4 cups of coffee a day increases the risk of kidney disease or increases the rate of decline of kidney function, however, moderating how much coffee you drink is a good idea. Those struggling with blood pressure control should especially drink less than three cups per day.

What is the best thing to drink for your kidneys?

Dr. Blake Shusterman, a Kidney Kitchen® contributor known as The Cooking Doc®, shared his top five drinks for people with kidney disease on our blog. Many of us love reaching for a refreshing, ice cold drink on a hot summer day, or cozying up with a warm beverage during the dead of winter. But did you know that the drinks you choose to quench your thirst can have a tremendous impact on your kidney health? As a nephrologist and Kidney Kitchen® contributor, drink-related questions are some of the most common questions I get.

Whether you need to watch out for certain nutrients or have fluid restrictions that you need to stick to, there are ways to enjoy healthy drinks for your kidneys.
Remember: each person with kidney disease should stick to the food and fluid plan you discussed with your doctor and dietitian, as it addresses your specific kidney function, fluid needs and electrolyte imbalances (like potassium and phosphorus levels).

Here are five of my favorite drinks that are generally healthy for people with kidney disease:

Black coffee: Every year, there seems to be a new study that publicizes the benefits of coffee. Drinking coffee — my favorite morning beverage — may help protect you from developing kidney disease and keep your kidneys filtering at a higher level for a longer period of time. Unfortunately, not all coffee drinks are healthy, and if you have kidney disease, you may be limited in what you can add to your coffee. Drinking black coffee, instead of coffee with high-potassium and high-phosphorus milk or high-calorie sugary drinks, will be your best bet.
Unsweetened green tea: Green tea has been studied almost as much as coffee. A cup of green tea is full of compounds called “polyphenols,” which function as antioxidants. Although experts are unsure whether green tea will positively affect your health from a purely medical standpoint, it is certainly a safe, tasty and zero-calorie beverage for people with kidney disease. Green tea may also lower your risk of developing kidney stones. The key to making a perfect cup of green tea is to drink it unsweetened. My favorite recipe for green tea is:
- Start with water that is not quite boiling (170–180 degrees).
- Add a tea bag and steep for 2–4 minutes only.
- Add a cinnamon stick and a splash of lemon juice for taste.
Low-sugar smoothies: Smoothies can fill you up; give you a healthy dose of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals; and also taste delicious. But if you are not careful, it can increase your blood sugar, give you too much potassium or phosphorus and be very high in calories. My favorite smoothie recipe starts with unsweetened Greek yogurt, fresh blueberries, frozen mixed berries and some hemp or flax seeds for extra plant-based protein — delicious! If you do not have to watch your potassium levels, try adding a frozen banana or a fresh orange to mix up the flavor.
Sparkling water: This one is for all the soda lovers who cannot quit carbonation. Carbonated, or sparkling, water hydrates you just as well as still water does, and it gives you the added bonus of all the bubbly feels. It is the perfect antidote to help you lower your soda intake. If you do not like plain sparkling water, try flavoring it by adding a little fresh lemon juice, a splash of cranberry juice or fresh herbs, like basil or mint.
Water: Water is simply the best drink you can have! Water is a zero-calorie, perfectly hydrating, cheap drink. If you are in the earlier stages of kidney disease, choosing water most of the time to quench your thirst will keep your body and kidneys functioning well. If you are in the later stages of kidney disease, you may need to limit the amount of water (and other fluids ) you consume because your kidneys cannot get rid of enough water from your body. Your doctor and dietitian will tell you how much water you can drink each day.

You might be interested: How Long To Smoke A Beer Can Chicken?

Want to learn more? Check out my video about keeping your kidneys healthy by choosing the right drinks.

How can I drink alcohol without damaging my kidneys?

Can You Drink Alcohol with Chronic Kidney Disease? Alcohol is a part of many cultures and commonly consumed at various social events like weddings and other celebrations. The challenge for people living with kidney disease is that drinking alcohol can put additional strain on your kidneys, which over time, can impact your kidney function and/or lead to other chronic health conditions like high blood pressure.

Understanding the relationship between alcohol and chronic kidney disease will help you take control of your health and protect your kidneys.
If you are experiencing, or are living with, limiting your alcohol consumption can help you preserve your kidney function.
To remove excess waste, toxins, and fluid from your blood.

When functioning properly, alcohol is one of the toxins that your kidneys filter from your body. However, alcohol can dehydrate your system, impairing your kidneys’ ability to function and maintain the right balance of fluids in your blood. Excessive alcohol consumption can also weaken or damage your kidneys, preventing them from filtering your blood properly.

Drinking alcohol excessively can also increase your blood pressure, which over time, can cause damage to your kidneys.
When living with kidney disease, alcohol can take a toll on your body and your health.
Especially when consumed excessively, alcohol can impair kidney function and may lead to serious health conditions like,

And when one part of your body is impacted, it can have an effect on other parts of your body. For example, if alcohol impacts your kidney function, it may make it difficult for your kidneys to support your heart. This can put you at an increased risk for a heart attack or even heart disease.

Another thing to consider is that alcohol can impair your judgement and motor skills, making you more susceptible to a fall or injury.
It may even be a factor in forgetting to take your medications.
For these reasons, if you are planning to drink alcohol, drink in moderation and talk to your doctor before you do.

Experts consider one drink of alcohol to be 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounce of hard liquor.1 Consuming an occasional glass or 2 of an alcoholic beverage usually won’t cause harmful effects to individuals with full kidney function. However, when drinking alcohol with chronic kidney disease, even a modest amount of alcohol could have an impact on your health.

Watch your fluid intake When living with kidney disease, you must be mindful of how much fluid you consume since your kidneys are not able to remove excess fluid from your blood as well as fully functioning kidneys. Drinking too much fluid can lead to fluid overload and cause serious health concerns. Alcohol is a liquid and needs to be factored into your daily fluid intake. However, alcohol is also a diuretic which causes your body to remove fluid at a faster rate from your body, leaving you dehydrated if you don’t drink enough water.2 This is an added challenge for people with kidney disease who have to limit their fluid intake. If you do choose to have an occasional glass or two of alcohol, make sure to factor that into your daily fluid intake so you don’t exceed your daily allowance. Be mindful of your medications When living with kidney disease, your doctor may prescribe certain to help you manage your health. You may also be taking medications for other health conditions such as or, Since alcohol can impact specific medications you are taking, it is important to be careful not to mix the two. Talk to your doctor to understand the impact alcohol has on the medications you’re taking. Manage your blood sugar Over time, high blood sugar levels can cause damage to your kidneys and blood vessels, so it’s important to keep your to protect your kidney function. Drinking alcohol can make it difficult to control your blood sugar since most drinks contain carbohydrates that can cause your blood sugar levels to spike. What you mix with alcohol, such as juice or other sweeteners, can also impact your blood sugar levels. Limiting how much alcohol you drink will help you keep your blood sugar levels balanced. Talk to your doctor and renal dietitian If you have questions about drinking alcohol, talk to your, also known as a kidney doctor, and your renal dietitian. They can provide personalized guidance on your alcohol consumption based on your diet and health needs.

For women, more than 3 glasses of alcohol a day, and for men, more than 4 glasses a day, is considered excessive drinking.3 Drinking large quantities of alcohol and binge drinking have been associated with higher risk of kidney disease. Excessive alcohol consumption can also increase your chances of experiencing high blood pressure, which is a risk factor for kidney disease.

And, if you’re already taking medications for high blood pressure, drinking alcohol could affect them.
Talk to your nephrologist about the safety and impact of drinking alcohol with kidney disease.
If you choose to drink, remember to drink in moderation to protect your kidney function and overall health.

Alcohol is common at many social gatherings, and the desire to have a glass or two is understandable, but your health should always come first. Remember to keep track of your alcohol consumption and monitor your overall fluid intake. Being mindful of the effects of alcohol and chronic kidney disease and making smart decisions will help you preserve your kidney function so you can maintain an active, healthy lifestyle.

If you are living with diabetes and kidney disease, it is important to stay in control of your blood sugar so you can be your healthiest and avoid other.
If you have CKD and you smoke, you have control over one of the biggest risks to your kidney (and overall) health.
Studies have shown When your kidneys don’t function the way they should, prescription and over-the-counter medications can build up in your blood and may cause additional damage to your kidneys or other parts of your body.

You might be interested: Landshark Beer Where Is It Made?

: Can You Drink Alcohol with Chronic Kidney Disease?

Is wine OK for kidney disease?

To drink or not to drink – Drinking alcohol can generally be done safely in moderation, even if you have CKD, polycystic kidney disease, end stage renal disease (ESRD) or diabetes. Take caution, however, if you have high blood pressure. Also, be aware of ingredients and nutrient content of the beverage you choose to drink.

Is beer good for the kidneys?

AKF Kidney Kitchen® contributor Dr. Blake Shusterman aka The Cooking Doc discusses the connection between alcohol and kidney disease. You probably know someone who developed health problems from drinking too much alcohol. Alcohol can impact many different parts of the body, but most commonly it damages the liver and can lead to a condition called cirrhosis. This often comes up when I am evaluating someone for kidney disease.

Because the liver is often paired together with the kidneys, people who see me in the office often wonder if alcohol use is the reason they were referred to me.
Sometimes, they wonder how it’s possible that they have kidney disease if they have never had a drink of alcohol.
Let’s dive in and answer these questions.

Based on the most recent scientific evidence, if you stick to one standard alcohol drink each day (one 1.5-oz shot, one 12-oz. glass of beer or one 5-oz. glass of wine), you do not increase your risk of developing kidney disease. Also, alcohol does not appear to make kidney disease worse or make it more likely that someone with kidney disease will need dialysis.

Here’s another way to look at it: For most people, your risk of developing kidney disease has very little to do with whether you drink alcohol. If you already have kidney disease, it may be safe for you to continue to have an occasional drink. For many people, that gives them the ability to continue to do what they are already doing.

According to the National Institutes of Health, 59% of men and 51% of women over the age of 18 had a drink of alcohol within the last month. On the other hand, that does not mean alcohol is safe for everyone with kidney disease or that it can never cause kidney problems.

Alcohol interacts with many medications. It can cause certain medications to have a stronger effect on your body or even make some medications less effective. The impacts can be felt with diabetes medication, heart medication, sleeping medication, pain medication and many others. Talk with your pharmacist or physician and ask whether it is safe to drink alcohol while taking your medications. Alcohol can make your blood pressure and heart rate go up. Over time, this high blood pressure can increase your risk of heart attack and stroke. So, if you have high blood pressure, heart disease or have had a stroke, be mindful of what happens if you have a drink and monitor your blood pressure and heart rate closely. If you are on a fluid restriction diet, don’t forget to count the alcohol. Some people with kidney disease need to limit the amount of fluid that they take in because their kidneys are not able to process and get rid of a lot of fluid. If they take in too much fluid, it can build up as edema in the legs or in the lungs. Many years ago, I cared for a person on dialysis who would drink 36 ounces of beer a few times a week. That 36 ounces was more than his kidneys could handle, and he often ended up with swelling and difficulty breathing because that extra fluid would build up in his body. Maintain self-control when you drink. If you are like most people I know, you reach for the salty snacks and are not as careful about your other dietary restrictions and health habits when you have a drink or two. That can lead to forgetting medications, eating too many sugary snacks, or consuming a full bag of potato chips. Keep your alcohol intake below the level where you lose some control over your behaviors. Though alcohol’s main impact is on the liver, there are cases where alcoholic liver disease can indirectly lead to kidney damage and kidney disease. This can happen to people who develop alcoholic cirrhosis or alcoholic hepatitis. The alcohol doesn’t directly harm the kidneys, but the changes in the body can be so severe in these conditions that it can cause the kidneys to temporarily stop functioning or fail completely. Keep your portions small. None of the organs in the body like it if you drink heavily. Heavy drinking typically means having more than 8 drinks per week for women and more than 15 drinks per week for men, and binge drinking is typically defined as having 4 or 5 drinks on a single occasion, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Those activities are associated with multiple health problems and are always unsafe. Stick to one standard drink a few times a week to keep it safely under these levels.

The bottom line: Alcohol does not cause direct harm to the kidneys, especially when consumed in a safe manner. However, if you have kidney disease, you need to be mindful of how much you drink and the downstream effects that alcohol can have on your body.

Can I drink a bottle of wine a night?

Measuring Alcohol Consumption – First, consider when health experts deem alcohol consumption normal versus excessive. In 2014, a World Health Organization member, Dr. Poikolainen, stated that alcohol consumption is terrible after thirteen units. A bottle of wine is ten units.

There is no research to back this guideline.
If it were a successful unit of measurement, an entire bottle of wine would not indicate excessive drinking.
Interestingly, another study conducted by an independent science news source, Laboratory News, noted that it’s challenging to measure healthy versus hazardous drinking habits, given the complexity of individual lifestyles, health, and overall well-being.

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) defines a glass of wine as five ounces, and there are about five glasses in a standard bottle of wine. In addition, the U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend that Americans who consume alcohol do so in moderation.

Moderation is one drink per day for women and two for men.
While this is often considered a good rule of thumb, it doesn’t necessarily mark someone who drinks more than recommended amounts as an alcoholic.
What matters more, scientists have discovered, are your drinking patterns.
Studies show a few drinks a week may not be harmful.

On the other hand, excessive or binge drinking can cause extensive issues short-term, including:

Weight gain Impaired judgment Drowsiness Slurred speech Anemia Breathing difficulties Memory lapse

Long-term drinking can also have lasting effects such as:

Unintentional injuries (car crashes, falls, etc.) Increased family problems Alcohol poisoning High blood pressure, stroke, and other heart-related diseases Liver disease Nerve damage

For these reasons, it’s essential to identify the signs that may point to an ongoing issue or even a full-blown alcohol addiction, Health experts suggest considering a glass or two at a sitting and leaving two or three days between drinking. They advise against binge drinking and heavy consumption. The consensus is to make that bottle of wine last a week.