With another benefit to coffee your INCOMPETENT? doctor and hospital will once again continue their INCOMPETENCE STREAK!
Still no 24 hour coffee station!
What happens to your kidneys when you drink coffee every day
Key Points
- Drinking coffee daily can help protect against chronic kidney disease and lower risk of kidney stones.
- Caffeine can potentially increase blood pressure and stress on kidneys, especially with hypertension.
- Limit added sugars and saturated fat in your coffee while being mindful of amounts for kidney health.
Your kidneys play an important role in filtering out waste and excess water from the body while balancing electrolytes. Healthy kidneys will do this automatically, but damage to the kidneys can potentially lead to chronic kidney disease (CKD), a progressive loss of kidney function that may require treatments like dialysis to mimic the role of the kidneys. If you’re one of the many Americans having coffee daily, your kidneys are being put to work filtering your favorite beverage. Which makes us wonder: Is coffee safe for kidney health?
Major health organizations, like the American Heart Association, recommend that healthy adults can enjoy up to 400 milligrams of caffeine per day without negative health effects—that’s around 4 cups of coffee. “Current evidence suggests that moderate coffee intake, about 2 to 3 standard 8-ounce cups per day, is safe for most people with chronic kidney disease and may even support kidney health,” says Sara Prato, M.S., RDN, CSD. “The amount that is right for an individual can vary depending on factors such as blood pressure, caffeine sensitivity and overall health.”
Learn more about what happens to your kidneys when you drink coffee every day, as well as the best way to enjoy your morning cup for long-term kidney health.
Coffee May Lower Risk of Kidney Disease
Great news for those who enjoy drinking coffee daily: Research indicates drinking coffee may help lower the risk of developing CKD. “A meta-analysis found that people who drank 2 or more cups of coffee daily had a 14% lower risk of developing kidney disease,” says Melanie Betz, M.S., RD, CSR, FNKF, FAND. The reason for this may be related to the beneficial compounds in coffee that can aid in reducing inflammation and oxidative stress.
For people with existing kidney disease, drinking coffee may benefit kidney function. “Coffee may also be helpful for people who already have kidney disease, as it was associated with a lower risk of progression to end-stage kidney disease, protein in urine and mortality,” says Betz.
Coffee May Lower Risk of Kidney Stones
The causes of kidney stones are multifactorial, with both genetic and diet-related factors at play. However, if you drink coffee regularly, you may have a lower risk of developing kidney stones. This is for a few different reasons, according to Prato. “Coffee may help by increasing urine volume, which can dilute and flush out stone-forming minerals before they have a chance to form crystals,” she says. “Caffeine may also increase urine production, which may contribute to this protective effect.”
In general, both Betz and Prato recommend staying hydrated to prevent kidney stones. “At the end of the day, the most important thing to prevent kidney stones is to drink (a lot!) of fluid,” says Betz. She says coffee contributes fluid, which helps dilute urine and reduces the risk of forming all types of kidney stones.
Caffeine May Raise Blood Pressure
From the AHA is this: Habitual coffee intake: BP neutral/↓;
Hypertension can eventually cause kidney disease due to a narrowing of the blood vessels that lead to the kidneys, creating a cycle of impairing the ability to properly remove waste and therefore increasing blood pressure due to excess fluid. Caffeinated coffee may influence blood pressure, but the association between caffeine intake and hypertension has been debated. Some research has found that drinking coffee may reduce the risk of hypertension, but others have shown the opposite. Still, those with existing hypertension may need to use caution when adding caffeine to their daily diet.
“More caffeine could raise blood pressure, which can directly damage kidneys,” says Betz. When blood pressure is already high or is borderline high, even the slightest increase could be a cause for concern. “If you have uncontrolled high blood pressure, it may be best to limit caffeinated coffee to 1 to 2 cups per day and monitor your blood pressure, since larger amounts of caffeine consumed at one time can temporarily raise blood pressure,” says Prato.
How to Enjoy Coffee for Kidney Health
- Limit Added Sugar. “The health benefits of coffee come from black coffee. Adding too much sugar and/or cream could easily outweigh those benefits,” says Betz. This is important since so many popular coffee drinks contain added sugar. “A sugary coffee drink can easily have three times your daily sugar limit,” warns Betz. If you regularly add sugar to your coffee at home or when ordering coffee from a restaurant, try cutting back in small increments over time. For people who typically choose flavored coffee drinks or blended coffee with added sugar, it’s important to review the nutrition facts and understand what you’re drinking. In many cases, substitutions can be made to reduce or eliminate the added sugar.
- Limit Saturated Fat. Betz cautions against adding cream to your coffee, as sources of saturated fat can increase risk for heart disease and ultimately kidney disease. If you currently put creamer in your coffee, consider adding less or switching to an alternative option. “Skim or low-fat milk can be great substitutes for cream to help reduce calories and saturated fat,” says Betz.(Really? You haven't heard of the benefits of dairy fat? So, you ARE that incompetent!)
- Find a Roast You Like. Sometimes people add extra sugar and cream to their coffee because they don’t enjoy the taste of the coffee itself. In those cases, you can try modifying the type of coffee you drink. For example, you may prefer a light roast instead of a dark roast. This switch may make your coffee more enjoyable without the need for extra sugar and cream.
- Be Mindful of Total Quantity. Prato says that even though plain black coffee is safe for people with kidney disease, the total amount matters. While caffeine is something to be mindful of when drinking coffee, other nutrients, like potassium, also need to be taken into consideration. “An 8-ounce cup contains about 100 milligrams of potassium, which is appropriate for many people with CKD,” says Prato. “However, if you drink several cups per day, the potassium content can add up. People who need to limit potassium or have high potassium blood levels may need to adjust their intake based on their individual needs.”
Our Expert Take
Drinking your daily cup of coffee can be beneficial for your kidneys by helping to protect against kidney disease and kidney stones. However, experts recommend no more than 400 mg of caffeine daily, because too much caffeine can potentially raise blood pressure, especially in those who already have hypertension, which increases stress on the kidneys and can lead to damage over time. (I'm way over that because I have genes that process caffeine fast and you still haven't told me EXACTLY how much coffee to drink to prevent Parkinsons and dementia.)
“Overall, coffee can be a healthy habit when enjoyed in moderation and tailored to an individual’s health needs,” says Prato. Additionally, additives like sugar and saturated fat should be limited to protect long-term kidney health. If you have high blood pressure or existing kidney disease, you may need to limit your coffee intake to just 1 to 2 cups per day. The best approach is to talk with your health care provider to assess your current coffee habit or before adding caffeinated coffee to your daily routine.
Read the original article on EatingWell
