6 Ways Alcohol Consumption Can Harm Your Kidneys

Consumption of alcohol is known to affect all the organs of your body including your kidneys. As per dietary guidelines, consuming alcohol in a limited amount i.e. one or two drinks occasionally has no serious side effects, but excessive or heavy drinking can lead to kidney problems and can worsen the existing kidney diseases.

How alcohol consumption affects your kidneys?

There are many ways in which alcohol consumption can lead to kidney problems. Some of these ways are explained below:

1. Interferes with the functioning of kidneys: Kidneys have an important role in maintaining the health of your body, which is by filtering the toxins out of blood and maintaining fluid and electrolyte balance. If blood has excess alcohol content then it can interfere with the normal functioning of kidneys, by putting an extra pressure. It can also cause kidney pain.

2. High blood pressure: Too much of alcohol consumption is one of the main reasons that can lead to high blood pressure. Alcohol consumption also interferes with the current medications of hypertension. More than two drinks a day can increase your chances of developing high blood pressure.

3. Dehydration: Consumption of alcohol can lead to dehydration. It affects the kidneys' ability to maintain fluid and electrolyte balance which leads to dehydration. It also leads to hormonal disturbance. There are a few cases in which kidney stones can be formed due to alcohol-induced dehydration.

4. Liver disease: Excessive alcohol consumption is associated with an increased risk of liver disease. If someone is suffering from liver disease, it impairs the flow and filtering of blood. This can have harmful effects on your overall health and increases the pressure on kidneys.

5. Increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases: Alcohol consumption can result in deposition of plaque or cholesterol in the arteries, which can lead to blockage. This might also increase the risk of heart problems like coronary artery disease, which may cause kidney problems.

6. Increases the risk of type 2 diabetes: Alcohol consumption is associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes and it might lead to an increase in kidney disorders.

Therefore, it is important to keep a check on alcohol consumption and the best idea is to avoid its intake.