kidney function Archives - Amazing Health Advances

Research Shows: Fluoride Exposure in Drinking Water Damages Liver & Kidney Function

The AHA! Team — Fri, 18 Apr 2025 05:28:25 +0000

Sara Middleton via NaturalHealth365 – We know there’s fluoride in most brands of toothpaste and mouthwash. But, most disturbingly, conventional dentistry is proud to support these products – even though the dangers of fluoride exposure have been well-documented throughout the independent scientific literature. To make matters worse, way too many people are still drinking tap water contaminated with fluoride. We’ve got to tell people how dangerous this is to human health. For example, research in the mid-1970s by the late Dr. Dean Burk, head of the cytochemistry division of the National Cancer Institute, indicated that 10,000 or more fluoridation-linked cancer deaths occur yearly in the United States. Now, a recent study published in Environmental International points to how damaging fluoride exposure can be to adolescents, too. A one, two punch if you will – since many of these children were already affected by fluoride in the womb – and now their continued exposure is leading to organ damage. Fluoride represents a clear and present danger to children Ashley Malin, PhD, lead author of the study, which comes out of Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, expresses serious concern about the compound’s widespread addition to the public drinking water supply (a move many call mass medication). In a press release, Malin states: “This study’s findings suggest that there may be potential kidney and liver health concerns to consider when evaluating fluoride use and appropriate levels in public health interventions. Prospective studies are needed to examine the impact of chronic low-level fluoride exposure on kidney and liver function in the U.S. population.” Malin and her colleagues assessed blood samples of nearly 1,983 adolescents. They also assessed tap water samples and their fluoride content in the homes of 1,742 adolescents. Based on their analyses and consistent with prior research about childhood fluoride exposure, the authors determined a dose-dependent relationship between fluoride exposure and kidney and liver function. In other words, the more fluoride children are exposed to, the more damage their organs will endure. Importantly, the authors substantiated that even low levels of fluoride exposure can contribute to liver and kidney damage. They also point out that children with poor kidney and liver function may absorb even more of the fluoride – which sounds like the start of a vicious cycle to us. Tap water can be very dangerous to your family’s health About three-quarters of all U.S. public drinking water has been laced with fluoride – reportedly as a way to protect our nation’s dental health, even though more than a quarter of Americans between the ages of 65 and 74 lose all their teeth anyway. But did you know bottled water also contains naturally occurring fluoride? The point is that most bottled water brands are bad for you, but tap water isn’t necessarily much better – at least until it’s purified. So, an effective way to protect your family from contaminants and pollutants in available water sources is to use a high-quality water purification system. Ideally, look for a system that filters out fluoride, too. And know this: Children and adolescents can only excrete about 45 percent of fluoride via their kidneys – the very organs that are damaged by the compound they must try to get rid of. As an adult, you can clear fluoride at 60 percent. So, as important as it is for you to protect yourself against fluoride dangers, it’s the more critical for you to protect your younger children. Sources for this article include: NIH.gov BostonMagazine.com FluorideAlert.org NaturalHealth365.com Oralanswers.com MountSinai.org To read the original article click here.

The post Research Shows: Fluoride Exposure in Drinking Water Damages Liver & Kidney Function appeared first on Amazing Health Advances.

Can Gout Increase Your Risk of Kidney Disease?

The AHA! Team — Wed, 16 Apr 2025 05:25:33 +0000

Sara Middleton via NaturalHealth365 – Did you know that 14% of people in the United States have chronic kidney disease? This health condition can be serious and incredibly life-changing, especially if a person requires dialysis for advanced kidney disease. And nobody wants to require dialysis – which is the use of a machine to filter your blood because your kidneys can no longer do the job. Keep in mind that dialysis is a time-consuming process that usually takes about 4 hours, 3 sessions per week! So, today, we’ll highlight ways to avoid a problem. Known risk factors for chronic kidney disease include diabetes, smoking, and high blood pressure. But now, research out of BMJ Open adds another risk factor to the list: gout. This finding aligns with a recent paper in Kidney International emphasizing that uric acid retention in advancing kidney disease contributes to gout and systemic inflammation, which are linked to higher cardiovascular risks. Millions of people currently require gout treatment. This new paper suggests that to relieve your gout symptoms and protect your kidney health, adopting a healthy diet for gout and kidney stones is more important than ever. Gout, a common inflammatory condition, is linked with an increased risk of poor kidney function Interestingly, the medical community has known for a long time that having kidney disease can increase your risk for gout. But it turns out that this relationship is bi-directional. A team of researchers from the United Kingdom analyzed the health data of nearly 69,000 adults with gout and over 500,000 adults without gout. After following these individuals for nearly 4 years on average, they discovered that having gout increased a person’s risk for chronic kidney disease by almost 30%. Gout is a type of inflammatory arthritis that affects at least 8.3 million Americans. The condition happens when a metabolic by-product called uric acid builds up in the blood. When this happens, crystals can form and lodge in joints throughout the body, especially the knees and big toes. The result? Painful, red, warm, and stiff joints. But high levels of uric acid aren’t just bad for joints. This study suggests that uric acid build-up caused by gout can harm your kidneys, too. By the way, there’s another condition that causes a build-up of compounds within the body: kidney stones. These are hard calcium masses in your kidneys that can cause severe pain. And while individual (tiny) kidney stones usually don’t cause serious damage, having them can increase your risk for kidney disease. Since it turns out that gout and kidney stones can increase your risk for chronic kidney disease, the natural next question is: How can I modify my lifestyle and diet to reduce my risk for gout, kidney stones, and kidney disease? And what does a diet for gout and kidney stones look like? Want to protect your renal function? Follow this diet for gout and kidney stones One of the greatest things about adopting a healthy diet and lifestyle is that it’s highly efficient – that is, a solid nutrition plan can protect you from many types of chronic diseases, including kidney disease. But if you’re specifically worried about gout and kidney stones, be sure to follow a sensible plan that includes: Eat plenty of locally grown, organic fruits and vegetables Drink clean, fresh (purified) water – on a daily basis Make your own homemade lemonade In addition to eating nutrient-rich foods, consider adding more lemon wedges to your filtered water (antioxidants + hydration) or taking a high-quality vitamin C supplement, which has been found to significantly reduce the risk of gout. Again, staying well hydrated is crucial for kidney health. So, be sure to drink clean, pure water – regularly. This will ensure that your urine color will not get too dark – which is a sign of dehydration. Lastly, knowing what to avoid is important, too. Talk to your doctor about cutting back on or eliminating foods like alcohol, factory raised (toxic) red meat, and shellfish, which have been shown to increase the risk of kidney stones and gout. And, of course, avoid as many other environmental toxins as you can. Purify the air you breathe at home; don’t buy toxic personal care or household cleaning products, and buy local (organic) foods – as much as possible. All of this will help to reduce the toxic burden placed on the kidneys – day to day. Sources for this article include: NIH.gov Kidney.org BMJ.com Medicalnewstoday.com NIH.gov To read the original article click here.

The post Can Gout Increase Your Risk of Kidney Disease? appeared first on Amazing Health Advances.

ALERT: How Drinking Soda Can Damage Your Kidney Function, Study Warns

AHA Publisher — Wed, 27 Jul 2022 07:00:21 +0000

News Staff via NaturalHealth365 – We’ve all seen advertisements of people guzzling ice-cold soft drinks on a hot summer day. But, while drinking a cold soda on a hot day may sound appealing to some people, a recent study published in the American Journal of Physiology warns that it may damage your kidneys. In fact, the study warns that drinking soda in the heat can have a particularly adverse effect on your kidney function. What Happens to Your Body When You Exercise in the Heat? When it’s hot, your body reacts by sweating more to cool off. If you exercise in hot weather, your body reduces blood flow to your kidneys so it can conserve water and regulate blood pressure. When blood flow to your kidneys is sharply reduced, your kidneys get less oxygen, and consequently, acute kidney injury can occur. Research shows exertion in high temperatures causes an increase in biomarkers of kidney injury. So exercising on a hot summer day already puts your kidneys at risk of dehydration and harm, even before adding soft drinks into the mix. But if you do reach for that cold soda, the risk to your kidneys is even more profound. Why Drinking Soda Is Damaging to Your Kidneys According to the study, drinking soda after laboring or exercising in hot weather increases dehydration, putting your kidneys in danger. In the study, volunteers performed manual labor in 95-degree Fahrenheit weather. Biomarkers for kidney function were measured before and after exercise. Some participants drank water immediately after exertion, and some drank soda. Researchers saw a jump in dehydration and markers for kidney injury in the participants who drank soda, including higher levels of uric acid and vasopressin. Researchers concluded that drinking soda during and immediately after exercise in heat does not rehydrate the body. Instead, soda induces acute kidney injury. In addition, because soda contains high amounts of fructose and often caffeine, it does much more harm than good. These findings are startling. Many people consume much higher amounts of fructose than what is safe and more protein than necessary, which can also imperil kidney function. Additionally, processed foods, in general, are detrimental to our health and children’s health. How to Protect Your Kidneys So how can you keep your kidneys safe and healthy in the summer heat and beyond? A few simple dietary habits can ensure you’re taking care of your kidneys as well as possible. Drinking plenty of clean, pure water is essential. When you choose water over high-fructose drinks, you’ll help keep your kidneys hydrated and functioning smoothly. Eating a diet rich in organic fresh fruits and vegetables has many health benefits, including lowering blood pressure, which is good news for your kidneys. Several super foods are especially good for your kidneys, including cherries, red bell peppers, watermelon, and kale. To support optimal kidney function, you might also want to add these great foods into your diet: ginger, turmeric, nettle, and yarrow. Your kidneys are vital for good health. They work hard daily to filter your blood and flush out impurities through urination. Opting for a tall glass of cold filtered water over highly processed sugar-filled soft drinks will help prevent kidney injury and keep these precious organs working well. Sources for this article include: ChildrensHealthDefense.org Journals.physiology.org To read the original article click here.

The post ALERT: How Drinking Soda Can Damage Your Kidney Function, Study Warns appeared first on Amazing Health Advances.

Excess Caffeine Intake May Be Linked to Increased Risk of Osteoporosis

AHA Publisher — Mon, 26 Jul 2021 07:00:37 +0000

University of South Australia via News-Medical – University of South Australia researchers have a bone to pick when it comes to drinking too much coffee as new research finds that excess caffeine may be linked to an increased risk of osteoporosis. Investigating the effects of coffee on how the kidneys regulate calcium in the body, researchers found that high doses of caffeine (800 mg) consumed over a six-hour period almost doubled the amount of calcium lost in the urine. This is the first study to report the impact of high-dose, short-term caffeine intake on renal clearance of calcium, sodium, and creatinine in healthy adults. UniSA’s Dr Hayley Schultz says with the emergence of an increasing ‘coffee culture’ it’s important for people to understand the impacts of what they are putting into their bodies. “Caffeine is one of the most widely used recreational drugs in the world, with 80 per cent of adults consuming at least one caffeinated beverage per day. It’s a common stimulant, consumed by professionals, parents, shift workers, and teenagers alike to start their day and stay alert – even the military use caffeine to help combat sleepiness. But while coffee has its perks, it’s also important to acknowledge its fallbacks – one of them being how our kidneys handle calcium. Our research found that people who consume 800 mg of caffeine over a typical working day will have a 77 per cent increase in calcium in their urine, creating a potential deficiency that could impact their bones.” Dr Hayley Schultz, UniSA Osteoporosis is a chronic, painful, and debilitating disease which makes your bones less dense and more susceptible to fracture. More common in women, it occurs when bones lose calcium and other minerals faster than the body can replace them. In Australia, an estimated 924,000 people have osteoporosis. The double-blind clinical study saw participants chew caffeine or a placebo gum for five minutes at two-hour intervals over a six-hour treatment period (total caffeine 800 mg). While the primary research objective was to examine the impact of caffeine consumption on wakefulness and other factors, this sub-study aimed to evaluate the impact of caffeine consumption on the renal clearance of calcium. Co-researcher, UniSA’s Dr Stephanie Reuter Lange says understanding the long-term impacts of high caffeine consumption is especially important for higher risk groups. “The average daily intake of caffeine is about 200 mg – roughly two cups of coffee. While drinking eight cups of coffee may seem a lot (800 mg of caffeine), there are groups who would fall into this category,” Dr Reuter Lange says. “People at risk could include teenagers who binge-consume energy drinks are at are at risk because their bones are still developing; professional athletes who use caffeine for performance enhancement; as well as post-menopausal women who often have low blood calcium levels due to hormonal changes and lack sufficient daily dietary calcium intake. “Increasingly, we are also seeing high levels of caffeine among shiftworkers who need to stay alert over the night-time hours, as well as those in the military who use caffeine to combat sleep deprivation in operational settings. “Caffeine in moderation certainly has its pros. But understanding how excess consumption could increase the risks of a highly preventable disease such as osteoporosis, is important.” From here, researchers will explore and predict the impact of different levels of caffeine intake on short- and long-term bone health, with the aim to inform dietary guidelines in Australia. To read the original article click here.

The post Excess Caffeine Intake May Be Linked to Increased Risk of Osteoporosis appeared first on Amazing Health Advances.