Alcohol Consumption Can be a Double-Edged Sword for Chronic Kidney Disease Patients PMC

Consequently, they will develop increasing ascites and edema and experience weight gain. In some cases, vast amounts of abdominal fluid may collect, occasionally more than 7 gallons (Epstein 1996). Despite the multiple possible causes of acidosis, disturbances in acid-base balance are more frequently manifested as low acidity (i.e., alkalosis). Alkalosis was present in 71 percent of patients with established liver disease in 11 studies, and respiratory alkalosis was the most common disturbance in 7 of the studies (Oster and Perez 1996). If an acute alcoholic binge induces extensive vomiting, potentially severe alkalosis may result from losses of fluid, salt, and stomach acid.

Acid-Base Balance Effects

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 how does alcohol affect the kidneys [53] and impairing acid secretion have also been discovered in alcoholics. In addition, hypokalemia, hyponatremia, hypomagnesemia, hypocalcemia, hypophosphatemia, and metabolic acidosis mixed with volume-contracted metabolic alkalosis are common in long-term alcohol consumption.

• In fact, about a quarter of drinkers reported they had done this on at least one day in the past year.
• The salt intake was estimated at 8.5 gms per day among adults, much higher than the WHO recommended salt intake of less than 5 gms/day for adults.
• In addition, long-term alcohol consumption can lead to injuries of renal tubules [1,2,30,39,51].
• 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).

Causes of kidney pain after alcohol

The kidneys are the organs primarily responsible for regulating the amounts and concentrations of these substances in the extracellular fluid. Based on the most recent scientific evidence, if you stick to one standard alcohol drink each day (one 1.5-oz shot, one 12-oz. glass of beer or one 5-oz. glass of wine), you do not increase your risk of developing kidney disease. Also, alcohol does not appear to make kidney disease worse or make it more likely that someone with kidney disease will need dialysis. You probably know someone who developed health problems from drinking too much alcohol. Alcohol can impact many different parts of the body, but most commonly it damages the liver and can lead to a condition called cirrhosis.

Understanding the Risks of Smoking and Kidney Disease

Ethanol is a natural product that is formed from the fermentation of grains, fruits, and other sources of sugar. It’s found in a wide range of alcoholic beverages including beer, wine, and spirits like vodka, whiskey, rum, and gin. Older adults, in particular, are more likely to experience dehydration because they often have underlying health conditions. Some examples include diabetes, kidney disease, and problems with mobility. As blood pressure decreases, this triggers the kidneys to release renin, which is an enzyme. As the level of angiotensin 2 increases, the adrenal glands release aldosterone, another hormone.

• WHO Global Report on Hypertension in 2023 estimated that the number of hypertensive adults almost doubled globally during the last three decades, from 650 million in 1990 to 1.3 billion adults by 2019.
• These conditions affect your heart’s ability to effectively pump blood.
• Consumption of alcohol has and continues to serve major roles in religious and cultural ceremonies around the world.
• The amounts of these substances must be held within very narrow limits, regardless of the large variations possible in their intake or loss.

Risks of Alcohol Abuse with Kidney Disease

Kidney Pain After Drinking: 7 Possible Causes