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Cut These 5 Common Drinks to Reduce Your Risk of Kidney Damage

While junk food often takes the blame for health issues, many people overlook the damage certain everyday drinks can cause—especially to your kidneys. These hidden culprits, often marketed as harmless or even healthy, may actually be silently putting your renal health at risk.

Your kidneys are responsible for filtering waste, balancing fluids, and regulating key electrolytes in your body. What you drink directly affects their performance. Even if you feel fine, excessive or improper fluid intake can quietly lead to kidney strain, damage, or even failure over time.

Here are five common drinks you may want to cut back on—or cut out entirely—to protect your kidney health:

1. Fizzy Drinks (Sodas)

Sodas are packed with sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, and artificial additives. Research shows that drinking more than one sugar-sweetened or artificially sweetened soda per day may increase the risk of developing kidney disease. A Japanese study found that people who drank two sodas a day were significantly more likely to develop proteinuria, an early sign of kidney damage.

Tip: Avoid dark colas, which often contain added phosphates—another burden on your kidneys.

2. Energy Drinks

These popular pick-me-ups are loaded with caffeine, sugar, and synthetic vitamins that overstimulate the kidneys. Over time, this can lead to dehydration and reduced kidney function, especially with frequent consumption.

Warning: Energy drinks fall into the “ultra-processed food” category—known to raise kidney disease risks.

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3. Alcohol

Regular heavy drinking puts extra pressure on your kidneys. It can dehydrate your body, disrupt your fluid balance, and increase blood pressure—all of which strain kidney function.

Guideline: Stick to the NHS recommendation of no more than 14 units of alcohol per week—and spread them out over several days.

4. Sports Drinks

Often seen as “healthy” because they contain electrolytes, most sports drinks are high in sodium, sugar, and artificial colors. Unless you’re engaging in intense workouts lasting over 75 minutes, plain water is all you need.

Expert note: Overloading your body with extra electrolytes can disturb kidney regulation and do more harm than good.

5. Fruit Juices

Not all juices are created equal. Even 100% fruit juice can be high in potassium and sugar—both risky for kidney patients. Many store-bought juices are also full of added sweeteners and preservatives.

Better choice: Unsweetened cranberry juice is a safer low-potassium alternative, according to the National Kidney Foundation.

Warning Signs of Kidney Trouble
Kidney disease often starts silently, but symptoms may develop as it progresses. Watch for: