Scientists from Johns Hopkins Medicine found that drinking at least one cup of coffee a day may reduce the risk of acute kidney injury (AKI) when compared to those who do not drink coffee.
They found that those who drank any quantity of coffee every day had a 15% lower risk of AKI, with the largest reductions observed in the group that drank two to three cups a day (a 22%–23% lower risk).
The research is published in Kidney International Reports and was conducted by Chirag Parikh et al.
AKI, as described by the National Kidney Foundation, is a “sudden episode of kidney failure or kidney damage that happens within a few hours or a few days.”
This causes waste products to build up in the blood, making it hard for the kidneys to maintain the correct balance of fluids in the body.
AKI symptoms differ depending on the cause and may include: too little urine leaving the body; swelling in the legs and ankles, and around the eyes; fatigue; shortness of breath; confusion; nausea; chest pain; and in severe cases, seizures or coma.
The disorder is most commonly seen in hospitalized patients whose kidneys are affected by medical and surgical stress and complications.
In the study, the team used data from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study, an ongoing survey of cardiovascular disease in four U.S. communities.
They assessed 14,207 middle-aged adults recruited between 1987 and 1989.
The team found there was a 15% lower risk of AKI for participants who consumed any amount of coffee versus those who did not.
People who drank coffee still had an 11% lower risk of developing AKI compared with those who did not.
The team suggests that the reason for coffee’s impact on AKI risk may be that either biologically active compounds combined with caffeine or just the caffeine itself improve perfusion and oxygen utilization within the kidneys.
Good kidney function and tolerance to AKI are dependent on a steady blood supply and oxygen.
More studies are needed to define the possible protective mechanisms of coffee consumption for kidneys, especially at the cellular level.
If you care about kidney health, please read studies about how to protect your kidneys from diabetes, and best and worst diets for diabetic kidney disease you need to know.
For more information about kidney health, please see recent studies that high blood pressure can lead to kidney failure, and results showing these heartburn drugs may cause gradual yet ‘silent’ kidney damage.
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