Even if you don’t exactly need another reason to drink coffee at the start of your day, a recent study from researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine shares that drinking at least one cup of joe a day can help reduce the risk of acute kidney injury (AKI) as compared to individuals that don’t drink coffee at all.
The findings reveal that people who drank any amount of coffee every day had a 15% lower risk of AKI, while the largest reductions seen in the group were for those that consumed two to three cups of coffee a day, at 22% – 23% lower risk.
Director of Nephrology and professor of medicine at the John Hopkins University School of Medicine, and study corresponding author Chirag Parikh, M.D., Ph.D. shared, “We already know that drinking coffee on a regular basis has been associated with the prevention of chronic and degenerative diseases including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and liver disease. We can now add a possible reduction in AKI risk to the growing list of health benefits for caffeine.”
According to the National Kidney Foundation, AKI is a “sudden episode of kidney failure or kidney damage that happens within a few hours or a few days.” When this occurs, there is a buildup of waste products in the blood, making it harder for the kidneys to keep the correct balance of fluids within the body.
Depending on the cause of one’s AKI, symptoms 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.’
According to experts, this disorder is usually seen in hospitalized patients whose kidneys are battered by medical and surgical stress and complications.
In an ongoing survey of cardiovascular disease in four U.S. communities, researchers used data from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study to assess 14,207 adults that were recruited between the years 1987 and 1989 with an average age of 54. The participants were surveyed at least seven times over a span of 24-year periods to check the number of 8-ounce cups of coffee they consumed every day, whether zero, one, two to three, or more than three. Throughout the survey period, they recorded 1,694 cases of acute kidney injury.
When observing for demographic characteristics, dietary factors, socioeconomic status, and lifestyle influences, the researchers found ‘15% lower risk of AKI for participants who consumed any amount of coffee versus those who did not.’
Researchers also adjusted their observations for additional comorbidities, like blood pressure, diabetes status, body mass index (BMI), kidney function, and use of antihypertensive medication. What they found was individuals who drank coffee still had ‘an 11% lower risk of developing AKI compared with those who did not.’
Finding New Hope
According to Dr. Parikh, “We suspect 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 improves perfusion and oxygen utilization within the kidneys. Good kidney function and tolerance to AKI—is dependent on a steady blood supply and oxygen.”
He also said that more studies are needed ‘to truly define the possible protective mechanisms of coffee consumption for kidneys, especially at the cellular level.’
“Caffeine has been postulated to inhibit the production of molecules that cause chemical imbalances and the use of too much oxygen in the kidneys. Perhaps caffeine helps the kidneys maintain a more stable system,” he adds.
Notably, Dr. Parikh and his colleagues point out that certain coffee additives, like creamer, half-and-half, milk, sugar or sweeteners may also affect AKI risks, which means they need to be further studied.
Moreover, the study authors also share that drinking other types of caffeinated beverages like soda or tea should also be considered as a ‘possible confounding factor.’
To learn more about this study, you can see it published in the journal Kidney International Reports.
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