Consumption of Carbonated Drinks May Result in Kidney Failure

Regular consumption of soft drinks and sugar-rich foods may result in kidney failure, according to two new recent studies.

The two studies highlight the potential negative effects that sodas and sugar can have on a kidney's health. In the first study led by Ryohei Yamamoto from Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine in Japan, it was found that consuming at least two soft drinks per day is directly associated with proteinuria, a condition characterized by an increased excretion of protein in the urine which later may later on result to kidney dysfunction.

Participants of the study with normal kidney function reported their daily soda consumption. 301 participants or 8.4 percent reported that they consumed zero soft drinks within a median of 2.9 years, while 272 participants of 8.9 percent reported they consumed one soft drink and 144 participants of 10.7 percent reported they consumed two or more soft drinks per day.

Dr. Anil Agarwal, a kidney specialist at the Ohio State University agrees with the findings of the new researches and said: "The new study suggests that even individuals with normal kidney function are at risk for damage if they drink too much soda." The second study led by Agustin-Gonzalez-Vicente from the Case Western Reserve University in the United States found that moderate intake of fructose increases the kidney's sensitivity to angiotensin II, a protein that aids in the regulation of salt balance.

This leads to an increased salt absorption by the cells found in the kidneys and confirms the findings of previous researches that showed why consumption of high-fructose corn syrup as a sweetener potentially results to diabetes, obesity, kidney failure and hypertension. The results of the two studies were presented during ASN Kidney Week held at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, U.S.