10 Of The Worst Habits That Damage The Kidneys

The kidneys are vital organs since they deal with the waste and toxins in the body and the urine.

They work with important minerals like phosphate and calcium.

Also they level the blood pressure and make vital hormones for this function. They also form red blood cells that bring oxygen to every cell.

So, they need to be healthy! If this is impaired, you might notice vomiting, bad breath, changes in urine, itching, dizziness, breathing problems, pain, anemia, fatigue and feeling cold.

In case you have some signs like these, see a doctor. Kidneys can be damaged due to many issues, but these are the most common reasons:

Not enough water

This will make the blood thicker and blood flow worsened. This way the kidneys cannot deal with the toxin removal and many diseases will appear. Best daily water amount is 10-12 glasses. Do not take more since you can over burden the kidneys.

Delaying urinating

If the urine stays in the bladder a long time, bacteria will multiply. Such bacteria damages the kidneys. It can even cause urinary infections, renal failure and urinary incontinence too.


This habit damages the whole body not just kidneys. Studies have linked smoking with kidney issues, as to American Association of Kidney Patients AAKP, smoking is number one reason for renal problems. This also makes hypertension worse and reduces circulation to every cell. It also speeds up any kidney problems.

Too much protein

Foods of too much protein is not good in this case, the kidneys now cannot eliminate or work with nitrogen excess in the body. Eating too much protein makes more hyper filtration and glomerular pressure. This raises the metabolic kidney load. Limit eating red meats or stop altogether.

Too much salt

Doing this all the time will cause other problems too. Kidneys can work with 95% of the daily sodium we eat. If we eat too much salt, the kidneys will work more and the body will keep excess water. This water retention will cause a disease in the kidneys.

Many studies have proved that too much salt increases a urinary protein that is bad for the kidneys. 1 tsp is 6 grams of salt, keep in mind.

Not enough sleep

Many people ignore this. Every night we need 6-8 hours of sleep. The cells regenerate during this time and if we do not sleep enough we will have many health issues. Studies have proved that bad sleeping habits leads to clogged arteries (atherosclerosis), hypertension too. All this impacts the kidneys too.


A lot of use take painkillers for everything, analgesics and other meds too. These all put a great pressure on the kidneys. A study showed that analgesics reduce blood flow and impact the kidneys. Once in a while is fine, but all the time is a catastrophe. It can cause even acute kidney injuries or interstitial nephritis. Before taking drugs or meds, talk to a doctor.

Too much caffeine

This causes hypertension and kidney damage. A study of 2002, Kidney International, said coffee makes kidney stones and more calcium in the urine. Moderate amounts of such drinks is fine, but consider the chocolate, sodas, meds, energy drinks too.


This stresses both the kidneys and the liver. Too much alcohol makes the uric acid pile up in the renal tubules and cause obstruction that leads to kidney failure. Also, alcohol makes you dehydrated and stops the healthy kidney work. It is recommended to take daily 1 glass, per woman, and 2 per men.

Source and image source: healthyandnaturalhouse.com