Alcohol and Your Kidney Health: Heres What to Know

With chronic pancreatitis, you could lose the ability to produce or use insulin. This can result in diabetes, which increases your risk for kidney disease. Over time, high blood sugar levels can reduce your kidneys’ ability to function.

Yes, excessive alcohol consumption can eventually lead to acute kidney failure (also called acute kidney injury). But, if you’re an otherwise healthy person, your body can typically recover from acute kidney failure with the appropriate medical attention. Addressing kidney failure and disease as a result of excessive drinking can also mean receiving alcoholism treatment and counseling.

Alcohol Can Affect the Kidneys Through High Blood Pressure

1. Men generally drink more than women, and men have higher rates of alcoholism than women.
2. Nowadays, many forms of ethyl alcohol are available, such as beer, wine, vodka, and other spirits, and these have become very popular among adults.
3. Alcohol can impact many different parts of the body, but most commonly it damages the liver and can lead to a condition called cirrhosis.
4. Kidneys that have been overworked due to excess alcohol consumption don’t function properly.

To learn more, check out our other educational articles, or get in touch with our staff of nephrologists, transplant specialists, and dietitians to schedule an appointment. According to the CDC, men should have no more than two drinks a day, and women should have no more than one drink a day. Because your kidneys impact the health of your other organs, stressed kidneys can create a ripple effect that has ongoing consequences for your overall health. Here, we’ll share insights into some of the ways alcohol impacts the kidneys and how much alcohol is safe to drink. Damage to one organ has reverberating effects that impact many other organs. There are no specific studies suggesting that certain types of alcohol are worse on the kidneys than others.

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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. Finally, if you want to drink alcohol, please discuss this with your pharmacist as some medications do interact with alcohol. When you’re concerned about your kidney health, Milwaukee Nephrologists is your go-to resource.

Data Availability Statement

This 13-year cohort study revealed that participants with social or regular drinking habits had significantly reduced risk of the development of CKD when compared with non-drinkers. Chronic drinking can also lead to liver disease, adding strain on your kidneys. Liver disease can alter the blood flow to the kidneys, lowering their filtering ability.

Alcohol may indirectly increase the risk of developing a urinary tract infection (UTI). Drinking alcohol if you already have kidney stones may cause Mixing Zantac and Alcohol them to move quickly. To treat liver disease, you may be advised to stop drinking alcohol, lose weight, and follow a nutritional diet.

Health Conditions

For people with chronic kidney disease (CKD) who are having dialysis or on a low-potassium and/or low-phosphate diet, choosing suitable drinks, especially those containing alcohol can be particularly challenging. In addition, long-term alcohol consumption can lead to injuries of renal tubules 1,2,30,39,51. Na+-K+-ATPase present on the proximal tubular epithelial membrane is important for tubular reabsorption. However, recent studies have demonstrated that its activity is decreased by ROS and lipid peroxidation with the consumption of ethyl alcohol 22,41,52. However, the effect of ethanol on renal tubule function is not limited to sodium ions. Diuresis by inhibiting vasopressin release 53 and impairing acid secretion have also been discovered in alcoholics.

These hormones help stimulate red blood cell growth and regulate blood pressure. Kidneys act as filters, removing harmful toxins from your bloodstream. Your kidneys are complex, performing several important jobs to keep you healthy. Unfortunately, alcohol has the potential to interfere with each of these functions. High blood pressure can have a compounding effect on your kidneys, weakening your blood vessels, your kidneys, and other organs until your kidneys ultimately fail.

Liver disease makes you susceptible to pain or discomfort after drinking alcohol. This is especially likely if your liver is impaired due to alcoholism. The disease can also affect blood flow to the kidneys and cause them to be less effective in filtering blood. Ethanol administration in rats showed particular alterations in the renal antioxidant system and glutathione status 4,5. Polyphenols, which are found in beverages, such as red wine, also have antioxidant effects 6,7.