Does Alcohol cause Kidney Disease?
Alcohol abuse impacts many systems in the body including the kidneys. This naturally poses the question, “Does alcohol cause kidney disease”? Although alcohol consumption may not be directly linked to the development of kidney disease, it can double your risk even with moderate drinking.
Your kidneys work around the clock to help filter out all the bad stuff from your system. It also works to balance fluids and regulate blood pressure. When you bring alcohol into the mix, it throws all of these daily functions out of balance and puts more pressure on the organ.
Similarly to how it negatively impacts other systems in our body, when alcohol is consumed, it forces the kidneys to work overtime in doing their job. Kidneys work to filter harmful substances from your blood. It is also in charge of keeping the right balance of water within your body. When alcohol is consumed, the kidneys have to work harder to filter out the alcohol from your blood. They also work harder to keep your body hydrated because alcohol is a diuretic, constantly drying you out.
How Alcohol Alters Kidney Function
Alcohol introduces a huge disruption in your kidney function. One of the most immediate changes induced by alcohol is the change in the communication between your brain and kidneys. Have you ever noticed that when you drink, it makes you frequent the bathroom more often?
This is because alcohol can interfere with the ADH hormone and how your body retains water. The ADH hormone signals for your body to hold onto water. Alcohol is a diuretic. When you consume alcohol, it suppresses the ADH hormone, making your kidneys flush out the water at a faster rate, leading to dehydration.
When you become dehydrated, the body lacks water and blood volume can drop. This forces the kidneys to work even harder to filter out your blood, which has now become very thick due to the lack of hydration.
Because you are constantly losing water, the body is also quickly flushing away vitamins, minerals and necessary nutrients it would normally be able to absorb. This causes an electrolyte imbalance, specifically when there is a rapid loss of water, which typically contains sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium. This imbalance can easily cause muscle cramps, fatigue and irregular heartbeat, causing the kidneys to work overtime to stabilize everything.
Does Alcohol cause Kidney Disease?
A common question asked by health-conscious individuals is: Does alcohol cause kidney disease? The answer can be more complex than people realize. While a single glass of alcohol cannot destroy a person’s kidneys, chronic and heavy drinking can create a toxic environment in which the kidney functions become impaired and damaged.
One of the most dangerous relationships between alcohol and kidney damage is hypertension or high blood pressure. Heavy drinking constricts blood vessels and elevates blood pressure. Alcohol addiction is known to be associated with high blood pressure. Hypertension is the second leading cause of chronic kidney disease.
The long-term effects of drinking on the kidneys are often associated with binge drinking. Consuming four to five drinks in less than two hours can cause a sudden drop in kidney function known as acute kidney injury. When this happens, the kidneys momentarily lose their ability to filter out the blood, resulting in dangerous levels of toxins (alcohol) building up in the blood.
The kidneys can filter an estimated 150 quarts of blood every single day to remove waste and toxins from the blood. This helps to balance out electrolytes and regulate essential body functions. With heavy alcohol consumption, the kidney structure can also change, making the cells much larger and not in control.
The liver and kidney connection that is affected by Alcohol
The liver and kidney are linked in their own relationship. The liver is the primary organ responsible for metabolizing alcohol. The kidneys are a secondary filtration system that excretes the metabolized byproducts. Most people in the US who have liver disease and associated kidney damage are also alcohol dependent.
When chronic alcohol consumption damages the liver, it can indirectly also stress out the kidneys. Alcoholic liver disease restricts blood flow and causes hepatorenal syndrome. This is a life-threatening condition where progressive liver failure can trigger secondary kidney failure even though the kidneys are structurally normal.
When the liver becomes heavily scarred, changes in blood flow and blood pressure can cause the kidneys to shut down. Alcoholism can ultimately result in combined liver and kidney failure.
The warning signs of Alcohol induced Kidney damage
- Physical discomfort. Kidney pain after drinking is usually felt in the flank area of your back just below the ribcage.
- Fluid retention. The kidneys are failing; they are no longer able to remove excess fluid from your body, which can result in swollen legs.
- Changes in urine. Dark urine and alcohol withdrawal can be an indicator of severe dehydration. If the urine has turned brown, reddish or is excessively foamy, it could be a sign that the kidneys are leaking protein. The body also loses the most water through urination. Because the kidneys cannot filter waste properly due to dehydration, the kidneys will try to retain water, which then reduces their proper functioning and can lead to acute kidney injury.
- Acute Kidney Injury (AKI). This typically occurs with heavy drinking and it occurs when there is a sudden episode of kidney failure or kidney damage within a few hours or a few days. It can be reversible if you stop drinking and get proper medical care right away.
- Kidney disease occurs from chronic kidney damage.
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Alcohol and Kidney Stones
Alcohol can play a significant role in the development of kidney stones. However, it does depend on the type of alcohol being consumed. Beer is high in purines, a chemical compound that breaks down into uric acid. High uric acid levels can crystallize in the kidneys and form uric acid stones.
When it comes to hard liquor, it can lead to rapid and severe dehydration, where calcium oxalates form in the urine. This increases the risk of calcium-based kidney stones.
How to Support Kidney Health
- Hydration. Proper hydration will ensure your blood volume is stable and allow your kidneys to properly flush out toxins easily.
- Kidney-friendly diet. Changes to your diet such as reducing sodium intake to keep blood pressure low.
- Monitor your blood pressure. Hypertension is the leading cause of kidney disease. Regularly check your blood pressure.
- Physical activity. Regular exercise can improve circulation and reduce high blood pressure.
Reach out to Hotel California by the Sea
We specialize in treating addiction and other co-occurring disorders, such as PTSD. Our Admissions specialists are available to walk you through the best options for treating your addiction.
Treatment for Alcohol Use Disorder
Ultimately, alcohol indirectly impacts the kidneys, which increases the risk of a person developing kidney disease. Alcohol is a toxin that impacts many different systems in the body. Professional behavioral health programs like Hotel California by the Sea provide treatment for alcoholism.
We provide treatment at all levels of care including detox, residential, PHP and IOP. We utilize evidence-based methods such as CBT, DBT and EMDR therapy. Hotel California by the Sea is dedicated to helping clients reach their goals in sobriety and overcome their addiction.
References:
https://www.kidney.org/kidney-topics/alcohol-and-your-kidneys
https://www.empowerhealthgroup.com/blog/does-alcohol-cause-kidney-failure/
https://www.akdhc.com/news/does-alcohol-affect-your-kidneys/
https://www.healthline.com/health/kidney-disease/can-you-drink-alcohol-with-kidney-disease
https://www.kidneyfund.org/article/alcohol-and-kidney-disease
