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How Alcohol Use Affects The Kidneys

alcohol and kidneys

Therefore, the effect of ethanol on the kidney is beyond our original understanding. Alcohol can not only directly damage the kidney, but also causes renal dysfunction by damaging other organs. In addition, some studies proved that alcohol consumption aggravates kidney injury in diabetic nephropathy rats [64].

Metabolic process of ethyl alcohol and the role of the kidney

Follow a low-fat, healthy diet that has plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. Treat gastritis by avoiding alcohol, pain medications, and recreational drugs. Your doctor may prescribe proton pump inhibitors or H2 antagonists to reduce the production of stomach acid.

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In general, excessive alcohol consumption leads to liver damage [29]. However, some studies have found that ethanol can directly cause kidney damage, independent of liver damage [28,30,31]. Latchoumycandane et al. found that the effects of excessive ethanol metabolism alone are sufficient to significantly damage kidney function, without heavy liver dysfunction. Moreover, ethanol-induced kidney injury correlates with leukocyte infiltration and activation without oxidative ethanol catabolism by CYP2E1 [28].

Effects on Fluid and Electrolyte Balance

Although the mechanism of alcoholic myopathy is not fully understood, it is likely that disruption of mitochondria-related energy homeostasis is important in promoting muscle cell (myocyte) injury (Eisner et al. 2014). Patients with alcohol-induced liver cirrhosis show a great tendency to retain salt (i.e., sodium chloride), and their urine frequently is virtually free of sodium. A progressive accumulation of extracellular fluid results, and this excess fluid is sequestered primarily in the abdominal region, where it manifests as marked swelling (i.e., ascites) (see figure). In addition, excess fluid accumulates in spaces between cells, clinically manifested as swelling (i.e., edema) of the lower back and legs. As long as cirrhotic patients remain unable to excrete sodium, they will continue to retain the sodium they consume in their diet. Consequently, they will develop increasing ascites and edema and experience weight gain.

Influence of sex, age, primary diseases and other confounding factors

Former drinkers are mostly remarkable, as their health status may be worse, and morbidity and mortality are higher than never drinkers [27]. In addition, the beverage type and exact amount of alcohol consumed were not available in the dataset. However, previous alcohol intolerance symptoms and causes studies have not revealed beverage-specific associations [28]. Figure 1 showed the crude follow up condition of the three drinking groups. The detailed differences among the three drinking groups are analyzed by the univariable and multivariable Cox model.

This indicates that long-term ethyl alcohol consumption can activate both intrinsic and extrinsic pathways of apoptosis in the kidneys (Figure 1). However, other studies found that long-term alcohol consumption aggravates renal fibrosis, which may be related to epithelial mesenchymal transdifferentiation and fibrosis induced by ethanol [33,47,56]. In addition, long-term alcohol consumption can lead to injuries of renal tubules [1,2,30,39,51]. Na+-K+-ATPase present on the proximal tubular epithelial membrane is important for tubular reabsorption. However, recent studies have demonstrated that its activity is decreased by ROS and lipid peroxidation with the consumption of ethyl alcohol [22,41,52].

alcohol and kidneys

She says the side effects are often temporary and resolve as the patient adjusts to the medication. “Unbearable is a subjective term, and individual thresholds for discomfort may vary significantly from person to person, as may the side effects individuals experience while taking the medication,” Ngo-Hamilton says. Take the first step toward addiction treatment by contacting us today.

Or, they could create additive side effects such as heightened drowsiness or an increased risk of gastrointestinal bleeding, says Moore. If you’re taking any medication, be sure to read the package label and insert carefully—and/or talk to your doctor—to see if you should abstain from drinking alcohol altogether. Jen is a registered dietitian and board-certified in renal nutrition. She has over 8 years working with chronic kidney disease, dialysis, and kidney transplant patients.

There are no specific studies suggesting that certain types of alcohol are worse on the kidneys than others. Diet and exercise are still important factors for sustainable weight loss while taking a GLP-1 medication. Ali notes that these drugs certainly have a high success rate for aiding with weight loss, primarily because of their ability to slow stomach emptying, helping people feel fuller longer.

This article explains how dehydration contributes to hypertension and how drinking water can help maintain or even lower your blood pressure. It also describes the other lifestyle measures that should also be part of your treatment plan if you have high blood pressure. While drinking water is not a “treatment” for high blood pressure, remaining well hydrated—by drinking six to eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day—may help keep your blood pressure under control along with other health measures. Additionally, alcohol’s dehydrating effects can impact the kidneys’ ability to maintain normal water levels in the body. This dehydration can also negatively affect other organs and cells within the body. Jen Hernandez is a registered dietitian and board-certified specialist in renal nutrition.

alcohol and kidneys

All data were composed, organized, and explored in the Health and Welfare Data Science Center of Ministry of Health and Welfare in Taiwan. The National Health Interview Survey selected participants while using a multistage stratified systematic sampling design. Participant information, including education, income, marriage status, and lifestyle behaviors, drinking levels defined national institute on alcohol abuse and alcoholism niaaa were obtained during in-person interviews. The National Health Insurance research database comprises medical information of nearly 99% of Taiwanese people, including ambulatory and inpatient care. Additionally, individual health needs to be considered since even small amounts of alcohol can increase the risk of health conditions and death.

Irreversible damage related to alcohol intake increases the risk for urinary tract infections (UTIs), kidney stones, acute kidney failure, and chronic kidney disease. These are serious conditions that require medical and nutritional interventions. Be sure to enlist the health of a kidney doctor and renal dietitian for help on how to improve these conditions. Drinking alcohol heavily can have several long-term health consequences including type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. Excessive drinking is considered to be more than four drinks per day. This doubles your risk of developing chronic kidney disease or long-term kidney damage.

  1. Even higher risk of kidney problems has been found for heavy drinkers who also smoke.
  2. However, 3 glasses of wine would contribute over 500 milligrams potassium.
  3. In addition, many studies have suggested that alcohol consumption can also affect the prognosis of patients with CKD.
  4. In some cases, vast amounts of abdominal fluid may collect, occasionally more than 7 gallons (Epstein 1996).

If a person drinks a lot in one sitting they may experience changes in blood pressure. There is a direct relationship between blood pressure and kidneys’ function. When levels are low, the brain releases antidiuretic hormone (ADH). As a result, urine becomes concentrated as less water is eliminated.

For those who need to limit their fluid to less than 1 litre (2 pints) a day, including one of these drinks can have a big impact on the total fluid consumed over the course of the day. Especially when there are many other factors to focus on when it comes to keeping your kidneys healthy and happy before looking to add in alcohol. Changes in hydration and electrolytes from alcohol intake can increase the risk for a UTI.

In response, reabsorption of phosphate diminishes and excretion in urine increases in an effort to return blood levels of this ion to normal. Another potential cause of hypophosphatemia in alcoholic patients is hyperventilation, which how to stop binge drinking can occur during alcohol withdrawal. Prolonged rapid, shallow breathing results in excessive loss of carbon dioxide and decreased blood acidity (i.e., alkalosis), which in turn activates an enzyme that enhances glucose breakdown.

Moreover, other bioactivators in red wine, excluding resveratrol, and those in white wine, also have the function of ROS scavenging and renal protection [7,84,113]. One of the reasons for this sex difference might be the different pharmacokinetics of ethyl alcohol between men and women. Since women, with a lower proportion of body water, have a smaller distribution volume for alcohol, they are more likely to have a higher concentration of alcohol in the blood than men. Moreover, women with a lower activity of gastric alcohol dehydrogenase have lower gastric first-pass metabolism of alcohol, which also leads to a higher concentration of alcohol than in men [92]. Since women have a higher blood concentration of alcohol, they may be more sensitive to alcohol than men [3,50,90]. At the same time, the difference in the actual amounts of alcohol consumption [79] between men and women causes this sex difference.

So, alcohol consumption can be a double-edged sword for patients with CKD, and any policy regarding alcohol consumption for them must be very cautious. Another noteworthy problem is alcohol consumption in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). In recent years, CKD has become one of the most serious global public health problems. Recent studies estimated that CKD affects about 119.5 million people worldwide [10,11]. As noted above, there is much to learn about alcoholic kidney disease and the complex interplay among multiple organs affected by alcohol consumption.

Polyphenols, which are found in beverages, such as red wine, also have antioxidant effects [6,7]. However, another rat model showed that ethanol may increase blood pressure and angiotensin II type 1 receptor expression, causing glomerular morphology changes. This may lead to renal corpuscle and glomeruli atrophy and reduced glomeruli volume [8]. Heavy drinking can also cause liver disease, which makes your kidneys have to work harder. When you have liver disease, your body doesn’t balance the flow and filtering of blood as well as it should. This has a harmful effect on your overall health and can increase the chance of complications.

If the body does not pass the stone, a person can develop a severe infection or blockage. The timing of the pain could be a coincidence, or the alcohol could have intensified an existing problem. However, more research is needed into the link between alcohol use and kidney injury. Third, in most studies, patients’ alcohol consumption data were obtained by a fixed self-administered questionnaire, and this method lacks quantitative measurement.

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