Washington:
Soft drinks and sugar can have potential negative effects on kidney health, two new studies have revealed.
The first study was conducted by researchers led by Ryohei Yamamoto, MD, PhD (Osaka Univ Graduate School of Medicine, in Japan). Consuming minimum two soft drinks every day is linked with proteinuria or increased excretion of protein in the urine, which is a hallmark of kidney dysfunction.
The second study was led by Agustin Gonzalez-Vicente (Case Western Reserve University). The study was conducted in rats. It was found that consumption of moderate fructose raises the sensitivity of the kidney to angiotensin II, which is a protein that regulates salt balance.
This results in an increased salt reabsorption by cells in the kidneys. This finding might help explain why consumption of high-fructose corn syrup as a sweetener may contribute to the epidemic of diabetes, obesity, kidney failure, and hypertension.
The studies were presented at ASN Kidney Week 2013 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, GA.
(With inputs from agencies)
