Drinking Soda on a Hot Day Can Damage Kidneys

How Drinking Soda on a Hot Day Can Damage Kidneys, Leading to Diabetes, Heart Disease

When consumed after performing manual labor or exercise in 95-degree Fahrenheit weather, soda causes dehydration and raises markers for kidney disease, according to a study in the American Journal of Physiology-Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology.

Story at a glance:

Research demonstrates the acute deleterious effects soda can have on your kidney function when used to quench your thirst during exertion on a hot day.
Drinking soda causes dehydration and raises markers for kidney disease when consumed after performing manual labor or exercise in 95-degree Fahrenheit weather.
When you exert yourself in a hot environment, your body regulates blood pressure and conserves water by reducing blood flow to your kidneys. A sudden and steep drop in blood flow through your kidneys can cause acute kidney injury due to the fact that it reduces the amount of oxygen being delivered to your kidneys.
Your diet has an overriding influence over the health of your kidneys, with sugar and excess protein topping the list of food components known to cause problems when consumed regularly.
Poor kidney function is also associated with a number of other serious health problems, including Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease.

Your kidneys — two bean-shaped organs — are located just below your rib cage, one on either side of your spine. Positioned on top of each kidney are your adrenal glands.

Each day, your kidneys filter up to 150 quarts of blood and flush out waste products through your urine.

One of the reasons why you need to drink enough water is to ensure healthy kidney function. In fact, chronic low-grade dehydration is one of the most common causes of kidney stones.

Poor kidney function is also associated with a number of other serious health problems, including Type 2 diabetes, hypertension (high blood pressure) and heart disease.

Common signs of kidney problems include:

Frequent urination
Problems urinating
Pain or burning sensation during urination
Chronic thirst

Herbal kidney cleansers

A number of herbs also have kidney-cleansing properties, including the following:

Ginger — Purifies the blood and kidneys of toxins.
Turmeric — Has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties that help prevent and treat kidney infections and inflammation.
Dandelion — A natural diuretic that helps strengthen the kidneys and soothe urinary tract problems.
Nettle — Natural diuretic that helps purify the blood and treat urinary tract infection; also high in iron, making it beneficial for building blood. Avoid if you already have high iron.
Marshmallow root — Natural diuretic that helps treat urinary tract infections, kidney stones and bladder infections.
Juniper — Improves kidney function and helps treat urinary tract infections and kidney and bladder stones.
- Contraindication — Avoid juniper berry if you have a kidney infection or are pregnant. Also, don’t take continuously for more than four weeks.
Yarrow root — A natural diuretic with antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties; helpful for urinary tract infections.
Red clover — Diuretic that stimulates waste removal from the kidneys.
Chanca piedra — Used in South America to break up kidney stones (its Spanish name actually means “stone breaker”).
Hydrangea root — Native American remedy for kidney stones.
Uva ursi root — Helps treat urinary and bladder problems.
Gravel root (Joe-Pye weed) — Indian remedy for urinary tract and kidney health.
Goldenrod root — Native American remedy traditionally used to support urinary tract and kidney health.