Is Tea Coffee Or Caffeine Good For Your Kidneys What Teas Are Best
Kidney health is a big concern for a lot of people, and there are many rumors flying around about whether tea and coffee are safe for this part of the body. Will your morning cup of tea give you kidney stones? Can coffee cause kidney failure? Should you give up caffeine to protect your body?
Many err on the side of caution and think they should avoid all tea and coffee to be safe, but there are many teas that are perfectly fine for kidneys, and you shouldnt have to miss out!
In this post, Ill be answering the questions:
- What is the connection between caffeine and kidneys?
- Is black tea bad for your kidneys?
- Is coffee bad for your kidneys?
- Is yerba mate tea good or bad for kidneys?
- Which tea is best for kidneys?
We chose to research and write this article in particular because so many tea drinkers we meet in person and talk with online have told us they used to be coffee drinkers, and due to kidney issues their doctors told them to switch to tea. That said, kidney infections, kidney stones, and kidney disease are different conditions which come with their own recommendations so always talk with your physician before any dietary changes.Read on to get the facts!
Risk Of Kidney Cancer
The evidence regarding this is quite mixed. Studies have typically indicated a reduced risk of renal cell carcinoma with coffee consumption. However, for some reason, this association seems to be true for caffeinated coffee only.
Decaffeinated coffee consumption seemingly increases the risk of clear cell renal cell carcinoma subtype, a particular kind of kidney cancer, but more studies need to be done to better understand this potential link.
Concerns For People With Ckd
People with CKD are advised to choose foods & beverages low in phosphorus, potassium and sodium. Some patients must also limit calcium. Damaged kidneys may not be able to remove these nutrients. Healthy kidneys maintain the right amount of minerals in the blood. Mineral imbalances that result when kidneys are damaged can lead to other health problems, like bone disease and calcium build-up in the arteries.
Phosphate additives that add to phosphorus intake may be present in nondairy and dairy creamers and some coffee drinks. These additives are listed on the food ingredient list. The FDA does not mandate food manufacturers to list phosphorus and potassium on the Nutrition Facts label. However, when the new food labels are available in 2020 potassium will be required.
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Kidney Health With Urology Specialist
Dr Arianayagam is an expert in the field of urological cancer surgery and the treatment of urological conditions. He is one of the most experienced cancer surgeons in Sydney.
If you have any questions regarding kidney health or would like to book an appointment, please feel free to contact Dr Arianayagams office or call on , and his staff will be more than happy to assist.
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Coffee: Whats In Your Cup
TipsTagsbest coffee drinkscoffeecoffee creamerkidney-friendly coffee drinks
Coffee, glorious coffee! The first thing I do in the morning is turn on Mr. Coffee. One time when we were out of coffee, I found myself driving around at 4 am searching for a Dunkin Donuts or Starbucks that was open.
This coffee lover is not alone. Coffee is one of the most common morning beverages in the US. Average coffee consumption among coffee drinkers is 3 cups per day . A U.S. research study found that coffee consumption causes no harm among males . However the correlation for females was not as strong, indicating more research is needed. A Korean research study found subjects that consumed at least 1 cup of coffee daily had 24% lower risk of chronic kidney disease . The researchers observed a decrease in blood pressure with increased coffee consumption. This along with the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds in coffee may be associated with the positive effect.
People with CKD often ask, Is coffee O.K.? And Which coffee creamer is best? The answer is that certain coffee drinks and creamers are kidney-friendly while others are not.
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Drinking Coffee Associated With Lower Risk For Chronic Kidney Disease
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Data included in a meta-analysis published in the Journal of Renal Nutrition show drinking coffee was associated with lower risks for incident chronic kidney disease, end-stage kidney disease, albuminuria and related mortality.
Coffee is one of the most consumed beverages worldwide and is generally considered safe for CKD patients, although a number of caveats may limit its consumption ,Mehmet Kanbay, MD, and colleagues wrote. As it is the case for items with widespread consumption, minimal effects may have significant population-wide health consequences.
Kanbay and colleagues searched PubMed, Web of Science, Embase and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials for studies that addressed coffee and CKD using a cross-sectional, retrospective or prospective design and were published in a peer-reviewed journal until February 2020. They pooled study HRs and ORs using the random-effects model.
Final analysis included results from seven cohort and five cross-sectional studies that evaluated a total of 505,841 patients. Data showed drinking coffee was linked to decreased risks for CKD , ESKD and albuminuria . Risk for CKD-related mortality was lower for coffee drinkers . Researchers wrote that people who drank two or more cups of coffee per day had a lower risk compared with people who drank one or fewer cups.
Mortality Risk Reduced By Up To 24 Percent
Numerous studies have hailed caffeine for its potential life-prolonging benefits, but Dr. Vieira and colleagues note that it is unclear whether or not patients with CKD may reap such rewards.
To find out, the researchers analyzed data from the 19992010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, identifying 2,328 patients who had CKD.
The daily caffeine consumption of participants was assessed at study baseline, and subjects were divided into four groups based on these data:
- first quartile, who consumed under 29.5 milligrams of caffeine daily
- second quartile, who consumed 30.5 to 101 milligrams of caffeine daily
- third quartile, who consumed 101.5 to 206 milligrams of caffeine daily
- fourth quartile, who consumed 206.5 to 1,378.5 milligrams of caffeine daily
The researchers then looked at the mortality of each participant and how this was associated with caffeine intake.
Compared with subjects in the first quartile of caffeine consumption, those in the fourth quartile were 24 percent less likely to die of all causes, while those in the second and third quartile had a 12 percent and 22 percent lower risk of all-cause mortality, respectively.
According to the team, these findings remained after accounting for participants age, gender, race, blood pressure, smoking status, body mass index , and many other possible confounders.
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Study Design And Participants
The present data was analysed using an observational prospective design conducted within the frame of the PREDIMED-PLUS study, which included 6874 older adults enrolled between 2013 and 2016 by 23 Spanish centers working in collaboration with 208 National Health System primary care clinics. Briefly, PREDIMED-Plus is an ongoing, 6-year, multicenter, parallel randomized clinical trial evaluating the long-term effect of a weight-loss intervention based on an energy-reduced Mediterranean diet , physical activity promotion and behavioral support , in comparison with usual-care recommending an energy-unreduced MedDiet , on primary cardiovascular prevention. Eligible participants were overweight/obese men and women aged 5575 years harboring the MetS, but free of cardiovascular disease at enrollment. More specific details of the study cohort and inclusion/exclusion criteria have been reported, and the protocol is available at . Local Ethics Committee approved the study protocol and all participants signed a written informed consent.
For the current study, participants who did not complete the semiquantitative food-frequency questionnaire at baseline or those whose total energy intake was outside pre-defined limits were excluded. We also excluded subjects who died or were lost to follow-up within first year of follow-up, and who had missing data on eGFR at baseline or at the 1-year assessment. The remaining 5851 participants comprised the final sample.
How Much Caffeine Per Day Is Safe
Up to 400 milligrams of caffeine per day appears safe for most healthy adults. Over 500 milligrams of caffeine per day can result in anxiety, constipation, diarrhea, and rapid heart rate.
Interestingly enough, there has been a U-shaped risk curve with caffeine and hypertension. Those who drank less than one cup of coffee per week or more than three cups of coffee per day were found to have lower risk for developing hypertension.
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Is Coffee Bad For Your Kidneys
Lets turn our attention to your morning cup of joe. This ones a little more complicated than a yes or no answer when it comes to its effect on kidney health.
First of all, drinking multiple cups of coffee increases levels of potassium in your bloodstream – which your kidneys have to work to filter out. In addition, the creamer you might put in your coffee contains phosphates, which should be avoided by those with kidney disease .
Furthermore, drinking lots of coffee does not hydrate you, so make sure you are drinking enough water along with it to decrease the risk of stones .
Interestingly, coffee may not be all bad for the kidneys! One study showed that consuming one to two cups of coffee may protect against end stage renal failure. The benefit could be due to a phytoestrogen in coffee called trigonelline .
However, more studies are needed, as it is the only study of its kind so far that I found. In a genome-wide association study on coffee and kidney health, the authors also found support for the above conclusions. For now, the evidence so far seems to indicate that coffee has a protective effect .
The University of Chicago notes that coffee contains low levels of oxalates which is part of the reason they also agree that overall it has a protective effect. But bear in mind the caffeine side described earlier .
What To Avoid With Adpkd
No matter what stage of ADPKD you have, you should take steps to limit or avoid the following:
1. Salt/Sodium. People with ADPKD are at a high risk for high blood pressure, according to Krista Maruschak, RD, with Cleveland Clinics Section for Nutrition Therapy. Over time, high blood pressure can prevent the arteries around the kidneys from working well, which can lead to kidney damage and contribute to kidney failure, according to the American Heart Association. Some easy ways to limit sodium: Dont salt your foods at the table, use salt-free spices/herbs while cooking, and check food labels for sodium content, says Maruschak.
2. Sugary drinks. Hydration plays a critical role regardless of ADPKD, so staying hydrated is important for overall health, says Maruschak. But avoid beverages that could potentially lead to weight gain or difficulty maintaining weight mainly those that are sweetened. If your sugary drink of choice is cola, be aware that it and many other dark-colored sodas contain phosphorus, a mineral that, in high amounts, can trigger changes that result in blood vessel, lung, eye, and heart problems. With chronic kidney disease , including ADPKD, the kidneys have difficulty removing extra phosphorus from the blood, so high levels of it can be dangerous and increase your risk of heart attack or stroke, according to the National Kidney Foundation. The lab work ordered by your doctor will indicate whether you should be limiting your phosphorus intake.
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Can I Drink Coffee At Stage 4 Kidney Failure
Can I drink coffee at stage 4 kidney failure? As we know, for kidney failure patients, they need to pay attention to what they eat and what they drink, and a kidney-friendly diet will be helpful for them to reduce the kidney burden and protect the residual the kidney function. So they may have some questions before they eat or drink something. Coffee is a common and popular beverage among people, but for stage 4 kidney failure patients, they may not recommend to drink coffee in their daily life.
What does stage 4 kidney failure mean?
As we know, kidney failure is a common kidney disease with the kidney function gradually reduced. The kidneys have the function of filtering the bad substances and excess fluid in body, and the normal kidney function can help people to keep the balance of the whole body. Once the kidneys are damaged, they will fail to work, and patients will suffer from some serious symptoms and complications. For stage 4 kidney failure patients, their kidneys have been damaged severely, and the kidneys lose most of their functions. In this condition, patients need to pay attention to their daily diet, or they may increase the progression if their kidney failure.
Why stage 4 kidney failure patients should not drink coffee?
Is Coffee Bad For Kidney Stones
Many with kidney stones are concerned about the impact coffee may have on kidney stone formation. Coffee, after all, increases risk of dehydration. And with not enough fluid, kidney stones can form.
However, a study in 2014 found that including caffeinated beverages, including coffee, results in a lower risk of kidney stones.
There was also a review published in 2020 looking at the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys from 2007 to 2014. They found an increased risk of recurring kidney stones in those who already had a history of recurrent kidney stones. There was no increased risk found in those who reported experiencing only one kidney stone in their history.
A review published in 2021 looked over 13 studies related to both coffee and tea with the risk of kidney stones. They found that moderate coffee consumption did not increase the risk for kidney stones, provided the recommended daily fluid intake is maintained.
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How Much Black Tea Is Safe
Of course, having a cup of black tea every so often is perfectly safe for most people. Even though black tea contains higher oxalate levels than most teas, its generally not enough to worry about.
One study looked at the amount of oxalates in black tea and found quite low levels. They concluded that drinking 4 cups of black tea would not pose a risk to kidney stones, and for kidney stone patients they recommended not to consume anything with more than 10 mg of oxalate, which is just over two 8oz mugs according to this study .
Whether you can consume black tea with a kidney condition depends on how severe your condition is, how much youre consuming, and your doctors instructions. While most people can drink reasonable amounts of black tea with no problem, be sure to check with your healthcare professional first if you have issues with kidney health.
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.
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Rooibos Tea And Kidneys
Rooibos is a cinch for kidneys to deal with – its low in tannins, and is caffeine and oxalate free !
In one review of red and green rooibos, no negative effects were noted in a study where animals were given rooibos as the sole drinking fluid, and no negative effects on kidneys and creatinine were noted. In the human trial, no adverse effects or out-of-range clinical pathology reports were observed .
Of course, speak to your doctor if you have any health concerns but in general, the research seems to suggest that rooibos is safe for your kidneys.
To learn more about rooibos and its benefits, check out our Rooibos vs Honeybush spotlight post.
Packaged Instant And Premade Meals
Processed foods can be a major component of sodium in the diet.
Among these foods, packaged, instant, and premade meals are usually the most heavily processed and thus contain the most sodium.
Examples include frozen pizza, microwaveable meals, and instant noodles.
Keeping sodium intake to 2,300 mg per day may be difficult if youre eating highly processed foods regularly.
Heavily processed foods not only contain a large amount of sodium but also commonly lack nutrients .
SUMMARY
Packaged, instant, and premade meals are highly processed items that can contain very large amounts of sodium and lack nutrients. Its best to limit these foods on a renal diet.
Swiss chard, spinach, and beet greens are leafy green vegetables that contain high amounts of various nutrients and minerals, including potassium.
When served raw, the amount of potassium varies between 140290 mg per cup .
While leafy vegetables shrink to a smaller serving size when cooked, the potassium content remains the same.
For example, one-half cup of raw spinach will shrink to about 1 tablespoon when cooked. Thus, eating one-half cup of cooked spinach will contain a much higher amount of potassium than one-half cup of raw spinach.
Raw Swiss chard, spinach, and beet greens are preferable to cooked greens to avoid too much potassium.
However, moderate your intake of these foods, as theyre also high in oxalates. Among sensitive individuals, oxalates can increase the risk of kidney stones (
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