The association between increased blood pressure and alcohol consumption has been recognized at least since 1915, when Lian reported the prevalence of high blood pressure (i.e., hypertension) in relation to the drinking habits of French army officers. Alcohol can induce abnormally high phosphate levels (i.e., hyperphosphatemia) as well as abnormally low levels. Alcohol consumption apparently leads to excessive phosphate levels by altering muscle cell integrity and causing the muscle cells to release phosphate. This transfer of phosphate out of muscle cells and into the bloodstream results in an increased amount of phosphate passing through the kidneys’ filtering system. In response, reabsorption of phosphate diminishes and excretion in urine increases in an effort to return blood levels of this ion to normal.
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. In turn, heavy alcohol consumption is implicated in the development of these cardiac diseases, with chronic, heavy drinkers at higher risk than those who consume small to moderate amounts of alcohol. Normally the rate of blood flow, or perfusion, (i.e., hemodynamics) through the kidneys is tightly controlled, so that plasma can be filtered and substances the body needs can be reabsorbed under optimal circumstances (see sidebar). Established liver disease impairs this important balancing act, however, by either greatly augmenting or reducing the rates of plasma flow and filtration through the glomerulus.
Results of the multivariable Cox proportional hazards analysis of the incidence of chronic kidney disease. Hydronephrosis is the result of one or two swollen kidneys due to an accumulation of urine. A blockage or obstruction prevents urine from properly draining from the kidney to the bladder. You may experience flank pain and pain are all toads poisonous or difficulty during urination. A kidney infection is a type of urinary tract infection (UTI) that starts in the urethra or bladder and moves to one or both kidneys. The symptoms and severity of a UTI may get worse after drinking alcohol.
This condition impedes the proper functioning of the kidneys and bladder. The NKF adds that most people in the United States who have both liver disease and kidney dysfunction are alcohol dependent. The organization adds that regular heavy drinking can lead to CKD and that this type of kidney disease does not resolve with time. Alcohol is a toxic substance that can damage the body’s organs and tissues. There are mixed conclusions about whether or not alcohol causes kidney failure specifically.
Similarly, there’s minimal evidence to suggest that alcohol increases the risk of kidney stones or kidney infections. Drinking heavily can increase the risk of high blood pressure and Type 2 diabetes, for example. Both of those conditions are the most common causes of chronic kidney disease in the United States. The data set did not contain laboratory data and the CKD diagnosis was dependent on the ICD-9-CM code. Participants’ baseline characteristics, including weight, height, education, marriage status, household income, smoking, drinking, diet, and exercise habits, were self-reported, and recall bias should be concerned.
It’s not as simple as one drink, one unit
Alkalosis was present in 71 percent of patients with established liver disease in 11 studies, and respiratory alkalosis was the most common disturbance in 7 of the studies (Oster and Perez 1996). If an acute alcoholic binge induces extensive vomiting, potentially severe alkalosis may result from losses of fluid, salt, and stomach acid. Similarly, clinicians long have noted significant kidney enlargement (i.e., nephromegaly) in direct proportion to liver enlargement among chronic alcoholic2 patients afflicted with liver cirrhosis. Laube and colleagues (1967) suggested that both cellular enlargement and cell proliferation contribute to such nephromegaly. In alcoholic patients with cirrhosis, these investigators reported a 33-percent increase in kidney weight, whereas they observed no appreciable kidney enlargement in alcoholic patients without cirrhosis compared with control subjects (Laube et al. 1967). Heavy drinking can also cause liver disease, which makes your kidneys have to work harder.
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].
- Further changes included enlarged and altered cells in the kidney tubules.
- In the univariable Cox model, it may not meet the proportional hazard assumption.
- Most of the metabolic reactions essential to life are highly sensitive to the acidity (i.e., hydrogen ion concentration) of the surrounding fluid.
- Chronic alcoholic patients may experience low blood concentrations of key electrolytes as well as potentially severe alterations in the body’s acid-base balance.
- More than two drinks a day can increase your chance of having high blood pressure.
Treatments for chronic kidney disease
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. We used data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) in 2001, 2005, and 2009; the National Health Insurance research database; and, the National Deaths Dataset. 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.
Can drinking alcohol cause kidney failure?
The follow-up period was 13 years, which was long enough to observe the famous high functioning alcoholics development of CKD; thus, the research had appropriate power. Furthermore, we adjusted for nearly all potential confounding variables, including age, sex, body mass index, socioeconomic status, vegetables, fruit, smoking, and exercise habits, and comorbidities. You may wish to swap out hard liquor for beer or wine, since these have a lower alcohol content.
This leads to dehydration, especially when you drink alcohol in excess. Severe or recurring kidney infections may require hospitalization or surgery. You may be able to treat small kidney stones by increasing your water intake, taking medication, or using home remedies. It’s important to understand the reason for your discomfort in case it’s a sign of something serious. There are no specific studies suggesting substance abuse games for groups that certain types of alcohol are worse on the kidneys than others. If you have any other questions about enjoying alcohol safely, please speak to your doctor or your kidney dietitian.
But it can also happen if you have other health conditions, including a kidney infection. Rather than the type of beverage, it is the amount of alcohol that affects the kidneys, with binge or excessive drinking having the most impact. This type of sudden-onset kidney damage often resolves with time, but it can be lasting in some cases. Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a substantial public health problem, affecting 15.7 million people age 12 and older in the United States (Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality 2016). In 2012, 5.9 percent of all global deaths were attributable to alcohol—7.6 percent for men and 4.0 percent for women.
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. Chronic alcohol consumption is a well-known risk factor for tissue injury.
Draw the initial manuscript, and all authors reviewed and approved the final manuscript. Follow a low-fat, healthy diet that has plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. Whereas AKI tends to resolve with time, CKD may worsen over time — although some individuals are able to stay relatively stable with CKD with close monitoring and lifestyle changes, such as quitting alcohol.
