The amount of food and drink that we consume has leading role to the proper functioning of the body. Even if it is a healthy food, such as fruits and vegetables, again, the dose is the biggest factor.
Today we will pay attention to coffee intake and in particular the effect of caffeine on the kidneys in the human body.
Due to the connection between coffee intake and high blood pressure, there is a concern about the ability of coffee to cause kidney damages. When the kidneys are stimulated by caffeine, there is an increased excretion of urine along with electrolytes, which causes negative changes in the functioning of the endocrine, cardiovascular and nervous systems.
According to statistics from recent years, urolithiasis is one of the most common kidney diseases among people of all ages and genders around the world. This disease is characterized by the gradual formation of stones in the kidneys and bladder.
Urolithiasis may be a consequence of dependence on caffeinated beverages, in particular coffee (including coffee with milk) and strong tea. Evidence of this are studies performed by Canadian urologists. As a result of a series of experiments, they found that in healthy people who consumed more than three cups of coffee a day, the concentration of calcium compounds in the excreted urine increased sharply within a few days. In addition to calcium, elevated titters of magnesium, citrate, and other substances, directly involved in the formation of kidney stones, were observed in the urine of the patients who took part in the study.
The effect of caffeinated beverages on a person’s urinary system is due to the expressed diuretic effects of coffee, as a result of which is observed a relative dehydration of the body, thickening of the urine tract and the formation of solid elements in it, which eventually turn into stones. Therefore, doctors do not recommend patients with CKD to take caffeinated beverages or at least the amount of them should not exceed the daily recommended dose.
For coffee lovers, the consumption of this drink should be strictly limited and not more than a cup or two per day.