On special occasions, drinking alcohol is the perfect example to spend time. May it be one, two, three, or you may lose count because of the amount of fun while talking with your friends or loved ones can make your kidney suffer after all the amount of alcohol intake. Do you have any idea how much an average person should take alcohol and is considered good for their kidney?
If you have no idea, let’s try to be mindful in drinking and find out more here in Healthway.
How Can Alcohol Harm Our Kidneys?
Just like any organ in the body, the kidney plays a vital role in our body in order to function normally and remain healthy. However, sometimes drinking alcohol can happen when there’s a friend’s birthday or an occasion.
A 2018 study conducted by National Center for Biotechnology Information showed that an alcohol use disorder can increase the likelihood of having a new diagnosis of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). As the kidneys job is to remove and filter harmful substances from your blood, drinking alcohol can cause changes on how the kidney functions making them less able to filter the blood. Another crucial job a kidney does is to maintain the right amount of water in your body which the alcohol contradicts by dehydrating the body affecting not only the kidney but other organs too.
When is considered ‘too much’ alcohol for your kidney?
Have you ever wondered how much is considered ‘too much’ alcohol for your kidney when drinking?
According to the National Kidney Foundation (NKF), the definition of a ‘heavy drinking’ that can harm the kidneys are what follows:
- For women, more than 3 drinks in a day or more than seven drinks in 1 week.
- For men, consuming more than 4 drinks in a day or more than 14 drinks in a week.
Effects of Alcohol on Kidneys Health
Short Term Effects
- Impact on Blood Pressure. Alcohol can cause a rapid rise in blood pressure for several hours while drinking. The kidneys are considered to be sensitive to these kinds of pressure changes and in the worst cases of prolonged blood pressure, it can damage them.
- Diuretic Effect of Alcohol. Alcohol can affect your brain releasing a hormone called vasopressin that directly acts on your kidney and reduces urine production. When alcohol affects the normal vasopressin levels, it will result in your kidney having an increased urine production to higher levels.
- Dehydration and Kidney Function. This can occur because of the diuretic effect of alcohol, then a person can experience dehydration. As the kidney’s job is to maintain the body’s fluid levels, it can be considered very sensitive to dehydration. Dehydration stimulates the kidneys to produce less fluid.
Long-Term Effects
- Chronic Kidney Disease. This disease occurs when the kidneys are damaged and are unable to function as it used to be. Dialysis in this type of disease is one of the considered treatments, filtering your blood and returning the cleaned blood to your body.
- Glomerulonephritis. This is a condition wherein the kidney’s filtering function becomes inflamed and damaged. It can also be due to alcohol causing an autoimmune reaction causing inflammation.
- Diabetes and Kidney Complications. Drinking alcohol does not just cause any other kidney complications but also diabetes. If the alcohol increases the symptoms of diabetes, it can possibly lead to kidney complications.
When to Contact a Doctor
People should consider seeking professional medical help if they are considered a heavy drinker, drinking more than too much a normal person should consume or have other risk factors for kidney disease such as:
- Hypertension
- Diabetes
- Obesity
- Heart Disease
- A family history with CKD.
Get Treatment with Healthway
In Healthway, we offer several doctors with an easy and smooth booking appointment for everyone in need. We have several Medical Professionals who specialize in various diseases. For Kidney Disease, you can check out our Nephrologist and set a pre-arrange visit with them.
Or for other queries, you can visit Healthway’s official website https://healthwaymedicalnetwork.com.ph/
A note to the reader
While Healthway Medical Network provides access to past articles, it is crucial to remember when this information has been updated and that these are not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor for accurate and personalized guidance.
