A study has shown that drinking a minimum of 1 cup of coffee each day could reduce acute kidney injury risk in comparison to individuals who don’t consume coffee.1✅ JOURNAL REFERENCE
DOI: 10.1016/j.ekir.2022.04.091
The results reveal that individuals who consumed any amount of coffee each day had a 15% reduced risk of acute kidney injury, with the highest reductions seen in the group that consumed 2 to 3 cups each day with a 22% to 23% reduced risk.
It’s already known that consuming coffee regularly has been linked to chronic and degenerative disease prevention which includes liver disease, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes. A potential reduction in the risk of acute kidney injury can now be added to the list of caffeine’s health benefits.
According to the National Kidney Foundation, acute kidney injury is a sudden kidney failure episode that takes place within a few days or even a few hours. This results in a buildup of waste products in the blood, which makes it difficult for the kidneys to manage the body’s correct fluid balance.
Acute kidney injury symptoms vary based on the cause and could include chest pain, nausea, swelling in the ankles and legs as well as around the eyes, inadequate urine excretion, fatigue, breathlessness, confusion, and coma or seizures in severe cases. Acute kidney injury is most commonly found in individuals who are hospitalized whose kidneys have been affected by surgical and medical complications and stress.
Making use of data from an ongoing cardiovascular disease survey called the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study, 14,207 individuals with an average age of 54 were assessed. They were surveyed 7 times over 24 years regarding how many 8-ounce cups of coffee each individual drank in a day: zero, 1, 2 to 3, or more than 3. A total of 1,694 acute kidney injury cases were documented throughout the survey period.
Taking into account dietary factors, lifestyle influences, socioeconomic status, and demographic characteristics, individuals who drank any amount of coffee had a 15% reduced risk of acute kidney injury as opposed to individuals who didn’t drink coffee. When additional co-morbidities were adjusted for, which included kidney function, anti-hypertensive medication use, diabetes status, body mass index, and blood pressure, individuals who consumed coffee still had an 11% reduced risk of acute kidney injury in comparison to individuals who didn’t consume coffee.
The researchers think that the reason coffee affects acute kidney injury risk could be that biologically active compounds in combination with caffeine or the caffeine by itself improve kidney perfusion and utilization of oxygen. Acute kidney injury tolerance and good kidney function depend on a steady oxygen and blood supply.
It’s been suggested that caffeine inhibits molecule production that leads to chemical imbalances and excessive oxygen usage in the kidneys. It could be that caffeine assists the kidneys in maintaining a more stable system.
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