A Brief Overview Of The Kidneys Role In Preventing Bone Loss
As your kidneys filter out toxins and excess acid from the blood, they also put a buffer or acid neutralizer back into the bloodstream in the form of bicarbonate. This shows how crucial it is for your system to be alkaline, and its also why the kidneys get overworked when, for example, you take a lot of medications and/or eat an acid-forming diet.
And just as there are certain foods that help cleanse and alkalize the body and ease the load on the kidneys, there are also foods that are not only acidic, but actually damage these important organs.
My Kidneys Were Very Sore And Painful From Drinking Soft Drinks & Caffeine
I began noticing that my lower back and sides was really started to have this odd dull ache. I also started to notice that my bladder felt full and bloated all the time, and I was trying to urinate several times per day to relieve this feeling . Sorry if that is too much info
This pain got worse each day, until I started to get very nervous. I didnt know if I had a UTI , kidney infection, or what was going on.
My kidneys ached so badly, I was practically bedridden for a few days, barely leaving my bed to simply eat and use the bathroom. I had no fever or anything, but I was in pain and felt weak. My wife had to take care of me because I felt terrible.
At first, I didnt know what was causing this. Then, my lovely wife , suggested that it could have been all the soft drinks I have been chugging at my meals . She said, Bennie, its probably all of those soft drinks. The caffeine in soft drinks can be really bad for your kidneys. Trust me
I immediately agreed because it reminded me of how I went through this same thing when I was 18 years old . My sides and back had this terrible dull ache. I went to the doctor about it back then, and had a urine test to make sure I didnt have an infection or something. They said it was fine and I had no infection, but I did have some protein in my urine. I guess that is sometimes normal.
The doctor at the time said that the soft drinks didnt cause the pain , because , soft drinks go in your stomach, not your kidneys.
Blood Pressure And Kidney Function
High blood pressure can be a big factor in developing kidney disease. Its only second to diabetes in risk factor. There is some evidence that caffeine-containing coffee causes a momentary spike in blood pressure. However, it is thought that these effects are exaggerated in older patients not accustomed to the impact and those with a history of high blood pressure.
Due to this correlation, some believe excess coffee consumption may be detrimental to kidney health, especially in sensitive individuals. Despite this, most data shows that there is a minimal risk as long as coffee consumption remains below four cups daily.
If you are concerned about coffees effects on your kidneys, make sure to moderate your consumption over the day and be sure to contact your urology specialist.
You May Like: Does Diet Coke Cause Kidney Stones
How Much Caffeine Is It Safe To Consume
The research is not clear, but it is likely that healthy adults can generally consume around 400mg of caffeine a day that is 2 espresso coffees or 5 energy drinks.
Children should consume less than 3mg for each kilo of body weight a day. For children aged 9 to 13, this is about 120mg a day, or 2 cans of cola. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding it is a good idea to limit your intake to 200mg per day that is 1 espresso, 2 instant coffees or 4 cups of tea.
But some people are particularly sensitive to caffeine if you find that 1 coffee per day gives you a racing heart, then give it up.
People with health conditions should talk to their doctor about caffeine as part of any discussions about a healthy lifestyle.
Coffee And Kidney Disease
For a while, coffee was considered potentially detrimental to the Kidneys. However, the relationship may be more complex than originally thought. There have been numerous recent studies on the correlation between coffee consumption and kidney disease, such as a 2008 study performed in Korea that analysed the habits of 2600 women, which showed a decrease in the prevalence of kidney disease.
Another study looked specifically at the Pacific Coast of Nicaragua, where a lower prevalence of chronic kidney disease was found in coffee-growing villages. A 2016 meta-analysis found no association between increased coffee intake and kidney disease in males, and in females, there was a possible reduced risk.
So it seems, contrary to prior thought, that coffee may play a protective role in kidney disease. However, the effectiveness and mechanism are not fully understood. Some believe that the antioxidant effects of coffee may play a part.
Therefore, patients with kidney stones, especially those with calcium oxalate stones, should still regard coffee as a possible risk factor.
Also Check: Fluid Around Kidney Symptoms
Studies On Coffee And Kidney Disease
Population-based epidemiological studies have tended to show an association between consumption of coffee and possibly a protective effect on kidney function.
A Korean study of more than 2,600 women showed that consumption of coffee was associated with a decreased risk of kidney disease, including in diabetic women. As we know in medicine though, population-based surveys are not enough to draw hard conclusions.
Therefore, given the pertinent and possibly controversial nature of the topic, a meta-analysis published in 2016 attempted to answer this very question. This meta-analysis showed no association between coffee consumption and increased risk of kidney disease in male patients.
Interestingly, it actually noted the possibility of a reduced risk of kidney disease in women who drink coffee. The conclusion regarding coffee, at least based on these data could be: harmless on male kidneys, and possibly beneficial to women’s.
The results of the above meta-analysis are similar to another study from another part of the world, specifically the Pacific Coast of Nicaragua where the lower prevalence of chronic kidney disease in coffee growing villages has been noted.
The exact mechanism for why coffee might play this protective role is still a subject of active study, but speculation ranges from the role of antioxidants present in coffee to coffee’s purported antidiabetic effect.
Blood Metabolites Associated With Coffee Consumption May Affect Kidney Disease Risk
- Date:
- American Society of Nephrology
- Summary:
- Researchers have identified several metabolites in the blood whose levels are altered by coffee consumption. Levels of 3 of these coffee-related metabolites were significantly associated with individuals’ risk of developing chronic kidney disease.
Food and beverages may have important effects on kidney health, but the potential biological mechanisms involved are often unclear. New research in CJASN identifies several metabolites in the blood whose levels are altered by coffee consumption and may affect the risk of developing chronic kidney disease .
When Casey M. Rebholz, PhD, MS, MNSP, MPH and her colleagues examined 372 blood metabolites in 3,811 participants in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study, a prospective community-based cohort, they found that 41 metabolites were associated with coffee consumption. When the team analyzed these metabolites in an additional 1,043 adults in the Bogalusa Heart Study, a community-based long-term epidemiological study, 20 of the 41 metabolites were also associated with coffee consumption in this group.
Higher levels of 3 of these coffee-related metabolites were significantly associated with higher risks of developing CKD: glycochenodeoxycholate, O-methylcatechol sulfate, and 3-methyl catechol sulfate.
Story Source:
Read Also: Are Almonds Bad For Your Kidneys
Reducing Kidney Stone Risk
Drinking enough fluid will help keep your urine less concentrated with waste products. Darker urine is more concentrated, so your urine should appear very light yellow to clear if you are well hydrated. Most of the fluid you drink should be water. Most people should drink more than 12 glasses of water a day. Speak with a healthcare professional about the right amount of water thats best for you. Water is better than soda, sports drinks or coffee/tea. lf you exercise or if it is hot outside, you should drink more. Sugar and high-fructose corn syrup should be limited to small quantities.
Eat more fruits and vegetables, which make the urine less acid. When the urine is less acid, then stones may be less able to form. Animal protein produces urine that has more acid, which can then increase your risk for kidney stones.
You can reduce excess salt in your diet. What foods are high in salt? Everyone thinks of salty potato chips and French fries. Those should be rarely eaten. There are other products that are salty: sandwich meats, canned soups, packaged meals, and even sports drinks.
Some herbal substances are promoted as helping prevent stones. You should know that there is insufficient published medical evidence to support the use of any herb or supplement in preventing stones.
- What food may cause a kidney stone?
- Should l take vitamin and mineral supplements?
- What beverages are good choices for me?
Recommended Reading: Can Seltzer Water Cause Kidney Stones
Caffeine And The Kidney
On the other hand, as an adenosine receptor antagonist, caffeine can inhibit adenosine activity of juxtaglomerular cells, resulting in the promotion of renin secretion . As such, some investigations have shown contradictory findings because the secretion of renin, a hormone produced by the kidney that is responsible for the conversion of angiotensinogen into angiotensin, can lead to vasoconstriction as well as tubular reabsorption by activating the release of antidiuretic hormone . Nevertheless, the latter, contradictory effects have been found only in renin-elevated states , not in the normal physiologic condition .
Also Check: Is Watermelon Bad For Kidneys
Caffeine Absorption Metabolism And Elimination
After oral intake, caffeine is rapidly and completely absorbed from the stomach and small intestine into the blood circulation, and is then distributed to almost all tissues and body fluids. The peak plasma concentration of caffeine is 810 mg/L, which is reached within 15120 min after its intake , whereas its half-life is 5 h . It is metabolized in the liver by cytochrome P450 to become metabolite products, including paraxanthine , theobromide , and theophylline . These dimethylxanthine compounds are then demethylated to monomethylxanthine and finally oxidized to methyl uric acid and other end products . Whereas the majority of the consumed caffeine is metabolized to become various end products as previously mentioned, the remaining amount is intact and directly excreted into the urine without accumulating inside human body .
Read Also: Is Advil Toxic To Kidneys
Can Drinking Too Much Caffeine Affect Your Kidneys
Caffeine may be the most common drug in the human food supply. That mug of breakfast coffee, the cup of tea in the afternoon and the energy drink or cola on a hot day all contain caffeine. You may think of caffeine as a mild stimulant and use it for that purpose, but caffeine affects the whole body, including your kidneys.
Recommended Reading: Osteocleanse
Did You Know Millions Of Philips Cpap Machines Recalled
Philips DreamStation, CPAP and BiPAP machines sold in recent years may pose a risk of cancer, lung damage and other injuries.
In December 2014, Grim indicates that he was driving to work when he began to feel ill and had to pull over. His condition gradually worsened and he was eventually diagnosed with kidney failure from Monster Energy, according to the lawsuit.
The case is one of a growing number of lawsuits over Monster Energy and other popular energy drinks, such as Red Bull, Rockstar and others, which allege that manufacturers failed to warn about the risk of heart attacks, strokes, kidney problems and sudden death linked to the beverages.
The Monster Energy kidney failure lawsuit accuses the manufacturer of designing and distributing a defective and unreasonably dangerous product, withholding risk information from consumers and dodging FDA regulations for years, by classifying the drink as a dietary supplement.
As a result of the effort to escape FDA oversight for years, Monster Energy drinks were never adequately tested and did not provide proper warnings about the potential health risks for years, according to the lawsuit.
Following concerns about the health risks, and heavy criticism from consumer advocates, Monster agreed to market it as a beverage regulated by the FDA in 2013, however serious questions have been raised about the safety of the drink and the lack of sufficient warnings for consumers.
Energy Drinks And The Kidneys
An October 2015 review published in the International Journal of Health Sciences examined studies on energy drinks, to assess their health effects. It found that the caffeine content of these beverages increased urination, a problem that can lead to dehydration when exercising in a hot environment. Since products such as 5-Hour Energy are loaded with caffeine, its a good idea to avoid them, and escape the negative effects they have on the kidneys.
The review in the IJHS cited a case of kidney failure resulting from the ingestion of large amounts of an energy drink. It was featured in an October 2014 report in The Annals of Pharmacotherapy. Although the case involved only one person, it merits notice, because it indicates that the beverages might have the potential to cause serious harm to the kidneys.
Energy drinks may not be acceptable for people with chronic kidney disease, or those on dialysis. A March 2018 article published in the Journal of Renal Nutrition concluded that before allowing patients to consume the beverages, a dialysis dietitian or dialysis health professional should first evaluate the safety of the specific brand, and its constituents.
Don’t Miss: Wine Kidney Stones
Headache Dizziness And Vomiting
Matcha tea is a source of caffeine. Consumption of 400 mg or more caffeine per day causes caffeine toxicity.
Consumption of 500 mg per day, increases tension, nervousness, dizziness, and nausea, etc. People who are caffeine sensitive should avoid matcha tea. it may shoot their blood pressure, may lead to vomiting.
Energy Drink Manufacturers’ Stand
Currently, most manufacturers participate in voluntary and mandatory reporting on the adverse effects of their respective energy drinks.
The current official line from the manufacturers seems to be that insufficient data exist with regards to most ingredients found in major energy drinks and therefore a cause and effect relationship between any energy drink and death/illness cannot be conclusively established.
Recommended Reading: Can Diabetes Cause Kidney Stones
Coffee And Genetic Kidney Disease
In the past, basic science studies have indicated that caffeine could increase the risk of growth of kidney cysts in patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease .
However, in more current clinical studies, consumption of coffee was not noted to be a risk factor for PKD progression.
Massive Tea Consumption Linked To Kidney Failure
By Gene Emery, Reuters Health
3 Min Read
– – The puzzling case of a 56-year-old U.S. man who suddenly developed weakness, fatigue and body aches is leading doctors to warn that massive consumption of tea may be responsible for some unexplained cases of kidney failure.
Its being called iced-tea nephropathy by the New England Journal of Medicine, which published a letter describing the case.
The source of the problem was an excessive amount of oxalate, a compound found in many foods. Excessive amounts can also come from juicing, having gastric bypass surgery, and by consuming foods with a lot of ascorbic acid such as beets, spinach, nuts and strawberries.
But in this case, the man reported that he was drinking 16 nine-ounce glasses of iced tea each day, giving him more than 1,500 milligrams of oxalate per day.
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics advises consuming no more than 40-50 mg of oxalate per day, the authors note.
If you drink tea once or twice a day, it probably wouldnt exceed what is the normal range for Americans. But this patient was taking 10 times that amount, said Dr. Umbar Ghaffa of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock, a coauthor of the letter.
He ultimately needed dialysis and remained on it because his kidney damage was so extensive.
The irony is that previous research has suggested that people who take tea in the usual amounts actually have a lower risk of kidney stones, Curhan said.
Recommended Reading: What Causes Kidney Problems In Humans
What Is A Kidney Stone
A kidney stone is a hard object that is made from chemicals in the urine. There are four types of kidney stones: calcium oxalate, uric acid, struvite, and cystine. A kidney stone may be treated with shockwave lithotripsy, uteroscopy, percutaneous nephrolithomy or nephrolithotripsy. Common symptoms include severe pain in lower back, blood in your urine, nausea, vomiting, fever and chills, or urine that smells bad or looks cloudy.
Urine has various wastes dissolved in it. When there is too much waste in too little liquid, crystals begin to form. The crystals attract other elements and join together to form a solid that will get larger unless it is passed out of the body with the urine. Usually, these chemicals are eliminated in the urine by the bodys master chemist: the kidney. In most people, having enough liquid washes them out or other chemicals in urine stop a stone from forming. The stone-forming chemicals are calcium, oxalate, urate, cystine, xanthine, and phosphate.
After it is formed, the stone may stay in the kidney or travel down the urinary tract into the ureter. Sometimes, tiny stones move out of the body in the urine without causing too much pain. But stones that dont move may cause a back-up of urine in the kidney, ureter, the bladder, or the urethra. This is what causes the pain.
Also Check: Is Pomegranate Juice Good For Your Kidneys