Previous studies have shown that coffee may help prevent many diseases, such as Parkinson’s, diabetes, heart problems, and cancer. It is mainly because the drink contains several beneficial compounds for overall health and well-being.
Acute kidney injury occurs when the kidneys suddenly lose part or all of the functions.
A recent study published in Kidney International Reports has identified a link between higher consumption of coffee and a reduced risk of acute kidney function.
In this research, scientists analyzed data from more than 14,200 participants between 45 and 64 years old.
All participants reported their coffee consumption with a questionnaire. The results showed that:
– 17 percent consumed more than 3 cups a day
– 23 percent consumed 2 to 3 cups a day
– 19 percent consumed 1 cup a day
– 14 percent consumed less than 1 cup a day
– 27 percent never consumed coffee
During this period, nearly 1,700 participants were diagnosed with acute kidney injury.
After analysis, the authors identified that the risk of developing acute kidney injury was 11 percent lower in those people who drank coffee compared to those who did not drink coffee.
There was also a link between the amount of coffee intake and the amount of risk reduction. In general, those people who drank 2 to 3 cups a day noticed the most significant reduction.
These protective effects of coffee may be attributed to some bioactive compounds in the drink, which boost oxygen utilization and perfusion in the kidneys.
However, the group of authors acknowledged that further research is needed to examine the physiological mechanisms that lead to the protective benefits of coffee in preventing acute kidney injury.
The research had many problems that were mentioned in the paper by the authors.
The main limitation of this study was the use of a food frequency questionnaire to measure daily consumption of coffee. The results completely depended on participants instead of direct measurements.
Coffee additives, such as sweeteners, sugar, creamer, or mild, may affect the analysis results as well.
Scientists claimed that other drinks would also lead to similar effects. Another problem is that drinking other caffeinated beverages like soda or tea may be a confounding factor.
And last but not least, there might be confounding effects from etiological differences for participant hospitalization.
Source:
https://www.kireports.org/article/S2468-0249(22)01369-9/fulltext
