Drugs, Alcohol and Your Kidneys

Simply put, the job of the kidneys is to filter impurities from your blood. Your body works hard to filter “bad” materials, such as drugs, from your blood. This means that if you have harmful drugs or chemicals in your bloodstream, many of these poisons will travel through your kidneys.

Your kidneys will work hard to take these poisons out of your blood and pass them on to the bladder to be excreted. Your kidneys are tough, but not invincible.

The more drugs you use, the more exposure your kidneys will have to poisons. Even prescription and over-the-counter medications can be harmful if too much is taken.

You might end up with immediate and temporary kidney failure. In some instances, your kidneys could be silently and slowly damaged over years, ending in permanent (chronic) kidney failure.

Moderation is the key to drinking alcohol.

 

Even a healthy person who drinks too much alcohol can develop heart disease, liver disease, high blood pressure and kidney disease, in addition to many other medical problems. Alcohol can impair judgment, which could cause problems with remembering to take medications or follow diet guidelines.

Discuss your alcohol intake and what drugs or medicines you are taking with your physician. Your doctor will help you decide what is level of intake is appropriate for your health and your kidneys well-being.