Drinking coffee may affect your kidney health

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Food and beverages may have important effects on kidney health, but the potential biological mechanisms involved are often unclear.

In a new study from John Hopkins, researchers found several metabolites in the blood whose levels are altered by coffee consumption and may affect the risk of developing chronic kidney disease (CKD).

They examined 372 blood metabolites in 3,811 participants and found that 41 metabolites were linked to coffee consumption.

When the team analyzed these metabolites in an additional 1,043 adults, they found 20 of the 41 metabolites were also linked to coffee consumption in this group.

Higher levels of 3 of these coffee-related metabolites were significantly associated with higher risks of developing CKD: glycochenodeoxycholate, O-methylcatechol sulfate, and 3-methyl catechol sulfate.

Glycochenodeoxycholate, a lipid involved in primary bile acid metabolism, may contribute to potentially beneficial effects of coffee consumption on kidney health.

O-methylcatechol sulfate and 3-methyl catechol sulfate, which are involved in metabolism of the preservative benzoate, may represent harmful aspects of coffee on the kidneys.

A large body of scientific evidence has suggested that consuming a moderate amount of coffee is consistent with a healthy diet.

The researchers were able to identify one metabolite that supports this theory. There were 2 other metabolites linked to coffee that surprisingly were associated with a higher risk of chronic kidney disease.

These compounds were also associated with cigarette smoking, which may in part explain why these compounds were associated with higher risk of kidney disease.

These metabolites may point to processes that are relevant for preventing kidney disease through dietary modifications.

If you care about kidney health, please read studies about kidney cancer: 5 things you need to know and findings of sunlight may increase your risks of kidney damage, autoimmune diseases.

For more information about kidney disease, please see recent studies about these unhealthy eating habits may increase your risk of dangerous kidney disease and results showing why processed foods trigger chronic kidney disease.

The study is published in CJASN. One author of the study is Casey M. Rebholz, Ph.D., MS, MNSP, MPH.

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