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 (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. This finding suggests that rhabdomyolysis and myoglobin toxicity may trigger oxidative stress in the kidney via mitochondrial injury. In contrast, Menon et al. could not find any adverse or beneficial effects of alcohol consumption on kidney function in the elderly 88.

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However, if the damage is detected early and alcohol consumption is stopped, the kidneys may gradually recover and regain their partial or full function (4, 19). Your kidneys are complex, performing several important jobs to keep you healthy. Unfortunately, alcohol has the potential to interfere with each of these functions. The NKF adds that most people in the United States who have both liver disease and kidney dysfunction are alcohol dependent. According to a 2022 review, symptoms do not usually manifest until stage 4 or 5 of how alcohol affects the kidneys the disease. According to the American Kidney Fund (AKF), there are five stages of chronic kidney disease (CKD), with stage 1 representing the earliest and mildest stage and stage 5 representing the most advanced and severe.

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• (For an in-depth discussion of alcohol and the digestive tract, see the article by Keshavarzian in this issue.) The direct role of alcohol-related endotoxin release in alcoholic kidney injury has not yet been studied.
• Former drinkers are mostly remarkable, as their health status may be worse, and morbidity and mortality are higher than never drinkers 27.
• Japanese (Yamagata et al. 2007) and Italian (Buja et al. 2011) cohort studies revealed a U-shaped association between alcohol consumption and incidence of proteinuria.
• Be sure to get proper treatment for UTIs and take preventative measures to avoid them in the future.

Women, older people, and those with smaller bodies should be especially careful. The current study enrolled 45,200 subjects, which was a representative cohort for the Taiwan population. The follow-up period was 13 years, which was long enough to observe the development of CKD; thus, the research had appropriate power. Furthermore, we adjusted for nearly all potential confounding variables, including age, sex, body mass index, socioeconomic status, vegetables, fruit, smoking, and exercise habits, and comorbidities.

How Alcohol Affects Kidney Health Long Term

Unfortunately, we only know that low-concentration ethanol can improve renal antioxidant capacity, but the exact dose and period are still unclear. It varies from person to person based on the amounts and frequency of alcohol consumed, genetics, overall health, and lifestyle. For some people, heavy alcohol use can cause kidney damage after years of consumption, while it may happen sooner for others. However, the Sober living house World Heart Federation (WHF) has clarified that no alcohol, including wine, benefits heart health (26). They emphasize that alcohol is linked to health risks regardless of the amount consumed. The previous belief that moderate red wine is beneficial has been debunked.

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Excessive alcohol consumption can damage the kidneys and, consequently, elevate creatinine levels. Too much alcohol use can lead to liver disease called hyperalbuminemia. This condition may cause abnormal protein production or protein leaking into the blood.

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However, other studies found that long-term alcohol consumption aggravates renal fibrosis, which may be related to epithelial mesenchymal transdifferentiation and fibrosis induced by ethanol 33,47,56. The Joslin Diabetes Center notes that kidney problems, whether as the result of failure or disease, are serious threats to health and wellbeing. The kidneys have such a vital role in cleaning the body and ensuring that the many other systems within the body function properly, that any impairment to their tasks can be the start of many severe problems, some lifelong and some fatal. The reality of alcoholism being a significant and serious contributor to the risk of kidney disease means that people who struggle with alcohol use disorders must make kidney care part of their long-term treatment.

Can alcohol cause high protein in the blood?

We think that the enhancement of CAT activities may not come from high concentration of ethanol, but rather from the compensatory improvement of antioxidant capacity after the intervention with low-concentration ethanol in the early stage. In the kidneys, ROS is generated via both enzymatic and non-enzymatic processes 22,23,27,32,36,37. In addition, Das et al. reported that alcohol consumption impairs the ability of CAT to catalyze the decomposition of H2O2 in the kidneys 41. This subsequently promotes the conversion of H2O2 to the more reactive hydroxyl radicals, which cause damage in antioxidant capacities and mitochondria in renal cells 34,42,43. Samadi et al. also suggested that ethanol induces depression of nephrin and podocin in podocytes, which contributes to renal injury and proteinuria and is mediated by oxidative stress 44.

Alcohol consumption, including vodka and red wine, also reduced serum insulin concentrations and enhanced the insulin sensitivity index 24,25. A moderate amount of alcohol drinking decreases the risk of developing diabetes, showing a U-shaped association 26. Specific health checkups are useful to detect residents who are at a high risk of cardiovascular disease, and are a good opportunity to provide lifestyle interventions4). However, the usefulness of specific health checkups for predicting deterioration in renal function has not been fully examined, especially in the general population with normal renal function. Regarding modifiability, alcohol consumption is a target for lifestyle intervention5-8).

Results of the multivariable Cox proportional hazards analysis of the incidence of chronic kidney disease. Moreover, alcohol-induced renal tubular dysfunction is also reflected in vitamin reabsorption disorders. Subramanian et al. proved that chronic alcohol consumption can significantly inhibit carrier-mediated thiamin and biotin transport across the renal brush border membrane and basolateral membrane 54,55. If you or a loved one has pre-existing kidney issues or are concerned about alcohol consumption and kidney health, it may be time to seek professional help. Our admissions navigators are available 24/7 at to discuss treatment options and give you the information you need to begin your road to recovery. Yes, alcohol use can lead to dehydration, temporarily increasing creatinine levels.

• 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).
• They regulate water intake and outtake, they balance the amount of minerals in the body, and they produce vital hormones, according to the Kidney Foundation of Canada.
• American Addiction Centers (AAC) is committed to delivering original, truthful, accurate, unbiased, and medically current information.

How to Prevent Kidney Damage

Heavy drinkers are more likely to develop high blood pressure than non-drinkers. In addition to contributing to the development of high https://ecosoberhouse.com/ blood pressure, alcohol also has the potential to affect certain high blood pressure medications. Promote healthy kidney function and blood pressure by limiting the amount of alcohol you consume.