The kidneys are vital organs that help remove wastes from the bloodstream so they can be excreted through the urinary tract. Some medical researchers believe that smoking cigarettes or other tobacco products may have several effects on the kidneys. Each kidney is the size of a large apple and these organs are located on both sides of the spine near the upper abdomen, according to the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse. Kidney function can be significantly affected by smoking.
Albuminuria
Smoking cigarettes and other tobacco products may cause albuminuria, according to Sara-Joan Pinto-Sietsma, lead author of "Smoking is Related to Albuminuria and Abnormal Renal Function in Nondiabetic Persons." Albuminuria is a condition characterized by excess protein excretion in urine, and occurs when the kidneys are unable to separate proteins from waste products in the bloodstream, according to the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse. Albuminuria is considered a sign of impaired kidney function.
Mesangial Cell Damage
Mesangial cells form the walls of blood vessels in the kidneys, according to Dr. Edward A. Jaimes, lead author of "Nicotine: The Link Between Smoking Cigarettes and the Progression of Renal Injury." These cells contain nicotine receptors that absorb nicotine from the bloodstream. This may cause mesangial cell damage, which can promote kidney disease.
Lower Creatinine Clearance
Creatinine is a chemical that is present in the bloodstream. It is directly related to the functioning of the kidneys, according to Dr. Jaimes--healthy kidneys efficiently remove creatinine from the bloodstream and flush it out of the body through urine. According to Pinto-Sietsma, smokers tend to have lower creatinine clearance, which means the kidneys remove lower amounts of this chemical from the bloodstream. Like albuminuria, low creatinine clearance is associated with impaired kidney function.
References
- Annals of Internal Medicine: "Smoking is Related to Albuminuria and Abnormal Renal Function in Nondiabetic Persons"; Sara-Joan Pinto-Sietsma; October 17, 2000
- National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse: The Kidneys and How They Work
- American Journal of Physiology: "Nicotine: The Link Between Cigarette Smoking and Renal Injury"; Edgar A. Jaimes, M.D.; January 30, 2007
