Alcohol Abuse & Kidney Disease

According to the Centers for Disease Control, 61 percent of adults drink alcohol, and 21 percent of regular alcohol consumers had more than five drinks on at least one day during 2007. We hear about the damage done to the liver of a habitual drinker, but what are the negative effects of alcohol on the kidneys?

Organ Composition

• Alcohol abuse compromises the function of the kidneys by altering fluid levels, especially electrolytes, in the organ.

Acid/Base Balance

• Cellular functions

  Another important job of the kidneys is promoting healthy cell structures and metabolism; alcohol abuse upsets the acid/base balance that controls this mechanism.

Hormone Changes

• Furthermore, excess alcohol creates fluctuations in the hormones that govern kidney function with regard to a variety of physiological processes such as blood pressure and blood potassium controls.

Waste Removal

• The kidneys' primary function is to keep the body systems clean by clearing out waste, and high alcohol consumption hinders that process.

Liver and Kidneys

• While the kidneys have some functions very different from the liver, they also interact in the case of increased alcohol use, especially when there has been liver damage. For example, in patients with liver cirrhosis, the kidneys struggle to maintain proper urine concentration in the excretory system.

End Results

• All of these complications with drinking can lead to permanent kidney damage or complete kidney failure.