Although the mechanism of alcoholic myopathy is not fully understood, it is likely that disruption of mitochondria-related energy homeostasis is important in promoting muscle cell (myocyte) injury (Eisner et al. 2014). Along with oxidative stress, increasing evidence suggests that some nonoxidative mechanisms also factor into alcohol-related organ damage. Specifically, ethanol metabolism produces fatty acid ethyl esters in various organs (Laposata and Lange 1986), which can cause ethanol-induced organ damage. Calabrese and Rizza (1999) found that ethanol induced a significant increase in the levels of fatty acid ethyl esters. They measured the highest levels in the heart, followed by kidney, brain, and liver. These are signs that the kidneys are not working as they should, and they can be symptoms of acute kidney injury due to a high alcohol consumption.
A burden of proof study on alcohol consumption and ischemic heart disease
According to the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2013), the drinking rate of men and women was 75.3% and 45.7%, respectively2. As noted above, there is much to learn about alcoholic kidney disease and the complex interplay among multiple organs affected by alcohol consumption. Although research suggests several potential mechanisms by which alcohol may directly or indirectly affect the kidneys, they have not yet been validated experimentally.
Alcohol Consumption and Risk of Chronic Kidney Disease: A Nationwide Observational Cohort Study
The kidneys help filter the blood, including by filtering out harmful substances such as alcohol. According to the NKF, one potential symptom of AKI is flank pain, which is pain in the side of the back, between the ribs and hips. There are no specific studies suggesting that certain types of alcohol are worse on the kidneys than others.
Association of monthly frequency of alcohol consumption and binge drinking with change in the eGFR over 12 years
According to a 2022 review, symptoms do not usually manifest until stage 4 or 5 of the disease. At these stages, CKD moderately to severely impacts kidney function. Regular and excessive alcohol use can also cause high blood pressure (hypertension) for a combination of reasons, such as disrupting hormones and affecting the muscles in blood vessels. Ask your healthcare provider if it is safe for you to drink, especially if you have a medical condition or take medicines that might be affected by using alcohol.
According to the United Kingdom’s National Health Service (NHS), a person should consult a doctor if they experience symptoms consistent with kidney disease. Nonetheless, the reviewers note that alcohol metabolism produces free radicals and other harmful by-products that are known to damage the body’s organs and tissues. They filter waste from your blood, regulate the balance of water and minerals in your body and produce hormones. It’s always wise to check with your doctor or dietitian before incorporating alcohol into your diet and it is recommended that you combine your alcohol with food.
- Nesreen and Sayed discovered that alcohol consumption significantly increased renal caspase3, caspase8, and caspase9 activity, and ethanol toxicity can increase the ratios of Bax and Bcl-2 in kidney tissues compared to a control group 24,25.
- The key here is that alcohol can otherwise be dehydrated if you do not drink enough water to replenish what you lose from alcohol.
- Additional research is needed to clarify if alcohol does indeed promote kidney injury and the mechanisms by which alcohol-induced kidney injury may occur.
- A relatively low incidence of cardiovascular disease was found in middle-aged French men, despite a relatively high dietary intake of saturated fats.
Alcohol Consumption Can be a “Double-Edged Sword” for Chronic Kidney Disease Patients
- The detailed differences among the three drinking groups are analyzed by the univariable and multivariable Cox model.
- Sanoff et al. found that consumption of a homemade alcohol, prepared by an unregulated process in Nicaragua, may be related to kidney injury among the local residents, which may related to pesticides or heavy metals contamination 114.
- On the other hand, there is evidence showing alcohol may lower the risk of CKD.
- Figure 1 showed the crude follow up condition of the three drinking groups.
- Along with oxidative stress, increasing evidence suggests that some nonoxidative mechanisms also factor into alcohol-related organ damage.
Without adequate blood flow, the kidneys struggle to remove waste products and excess fluid from the blood. A 2018 study found that having alcohol use disorder increased the likelihood of having a new alcohol and kidneys diagnosis of CKD. However, the study authors also mentioned that more studies are needed to explore the connection between AUD and kidney function. Alcohol does not cause direct harm to the kidneys, especially when consumed in a safe manner.
- For example, alcohol can induce the production of reactive oxygen species/reactive nitrogen species (ROS/RNS), which can result in oxidative stress in the kidneys, leading to potential renal injury resulting from hemodynamic disorders and inflammation 24–28.
- So, alcohol consumption can be a double-edged sword for patients with CKD, and any policy regarding alcohol consumption for them must be very cautious.
- Low potassium can cause low sodium levels and increase the risk of hyponatremia (low sodium in the blood).
Due to the metabolism of ethanol, significant amounts of acetate are produced and subsequently incorporated into acetyl-coenzyme-A, a molecule that participates in metabolism of proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates. Protein acetylation—adding an acetyl group to a protein—is integral to regulating processes controlled by mitochondria, including fatty acid metabolism and antioxidant defense (Choudhary et al. 2014). This could also be a significant factor contributing to ethanol-induced mitochondrial dysfunction in the kidneys (Harris et al. 2015). None of these tests prevent kidney disease, but they can give enough information for a doctor to recommend immediate treatment and lifestyle changes, which can mean cutting back on alcohol consumption or outright eliminating it.
A few studies have linked rhabdomyolysis and myoglobin toxicity with acute kidney injury, supporting a possible association among alcohol use, alcohol-related acute myopathy, and kidney damage. For example, Belliere and colleagues https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/kudzu-extract-and-alcohol-addiction-can-it-help-you-drink-less/ (2015) showed a link between rhabdomyolysis and excessive macrophage infiltration in the kidney, which in turn led to pro-inflammatory marker expression and consequent tissue injury (Belliere et al. 2015). Another study by Plotnikov and colleagues (2009) showed that mitochondria isolated from rat kidneys were damaged by oxidative stress when incubated with myoglobin.
Draw the initial manuscript, and all authors reviewed and approved the final manuscript. 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. According to the NKF, individuals who have sustained an alcohol-induced AKI may require dialysis, depending on severity. Dialysis is a procedure that involves filtering waste products and excess fluid from the blood. As the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDKD) explains, the kidneys contain tiny, finger-like structures called nephrons.
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Jen Hernandez is a registered dietitian and board-certified specialist in renal nutrition. She has nearly a decade of experience with kidney disease patients in all stages – from stage 1 through kidney transplant. Jen writes on the blog of Plant-Powered Kidneys to help reach and teach more kidney patients about how they can enjoy more foods in a plant-based diet while protecting kidney health. While this is by means no recommendation to drink more alcohol or to start drinking, they do suggest that light to moderate drinking has not been shown to increase the risk of developing CKD.