Excessive alcohol consumption at the end of the year can harm kidney health

new Year

Excessive alcohol consumption can cause several health problems

On New Year’s Eve, it is common for people to become more excited about the festivities and overindulge in alcohol consumption, especially champagne, wine and beer. However, excessive alcohol consumption can cause several health problems: such as compromising the liver and impairing kidney function. The alert comes from urologist Flávio Antunes.

“It’s not just low water intake during this period that can lead to kidney problems. People overindulge in alcohol consumption and think they won’t have a problem because it’s just some festivities at the end of the year. However, people prone to kidney failure should be even more cautious when it comes to drinking alcoholic beverages. The kidneys are the ones who eliminate excess of these substances in our body. And when these organs are functioning poorly, we feel the consequences. At the end of the year, it is common to consume sparkling wine and beers: the two villains of the high potassium content”,

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Dose of alcohol for each drink is different

A person may think that 200 mL of beer and 200 mL of wine are equivalent, both a dose, but this is a mistake, as the amount of alcohol present in these two drinks is different. The standard dose of alcohol takes into account the amount of pure alcohol (ethanol) present in each drink.

Thus, a 350 mL can is equivalent to a 150 mL glass of wine, which is, in turn, equivalent to 40 mL of spirits. Most people start the festivities at the beginning of December and don’t stop drinking during the countless get-togethers. The kidneys feel the “weight” of excess alcohol consumption and give warning signals.

“Alcohol carries toxins and aggressive components to the kidneys and liver, can cause hypertension and develop into kidney problems. Drinks make the kidneys less able to filter the blood, as well as affecting their ability to maintain the right amount of water in the body. Alcohol also inhibits the antidiuretic hormone, which regulates the amount of water excreted, increasing diuresis’,

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Signs of kidney problems include dry mouth, weakness, tiredness and headache. Going six hours or more without urinating is also a symptom of dehydration. Other aspects, these more critical, are sunken eyes and decreased skin elasticity.

The way everyone counts how much they drink varies a lot. The majority of Brazilians who drink abusively believe they are moderate consumers. Flávio Antunes also draws attention to the act of holding urine for a long time, because when the bladder’s storage capacity reaches a certain volume, the body creates alerts to the nervous system.

“Holding in your pee for a long time increases your chances of suffering from urinary infections, as urine helps clean the urethra, where bacteria accumulates. When you delay going to the bathroom too much, you can end up disrupting your body’s natural hygiene.”

*With information from consultancy

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