The renal diet requires people with kidney disease to limit how much protein, phosphate, potassium and sodium they consume each day. People in the advanced stages of kidney disease also need to limit how much fluid they consume. As a result of these restrictions, anyone with kidney disease should use caution when thinking about adding soft drinks to the diet.
Fluid Restriction
The kidneys control how much fluid circulates in the body. When someone has kidney disease or kidney failure, these organs stop excreting the right amount of fluid in the urine. The excess fluid builds up in the circulatory system, which causes swelling and shortness of breath. This diet does not have one specific daily fluid intake for everyone. Instead, your doctor or renal dietitian will consider your symptoms and the results of blood work to determine a daily fluid intake that is safe for your particular case. Once you know how much to limit your fluid intake, you must limit the amount of soda you consume so you do not exceed the allowed amount.
Phosphate
The kidneys also control the amount of phosphate -- a salt of phosphoric acid -- in the bloodstream. When they function normally, the kidneys decide how much phosphate to keep in the bloodstream and how much to filter into the urine. Kidney disease and kidney failure make it difficult for the kidneys to maintain this function, so phosphate builds up in the bloodstream instead of exiting the body. Avoid sodas that contain phosphoric acid to prevent this buildup. Clear soft drinks, root beer and ginger ale do not contain this chemical. Cola drinks do contain phosphoric acid.
Renal Diabetic Diet
Diabetes accounts for almost 44 percent of new cases of kidney disease in the United States each year, according to the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse. Untreated diabetes causes blood glucose levels to rise. Over time, elevated blood glucose levels damage the small blood vessels that lead to the kidneys, causing impaired kidney function. If you have diabetes and kidney disease, your doctor will recommend that you follow a renal diabetic diet. The goal of this diet is to slow the progression of kidney disease and keep blood sugar levels stable. As a part of this diet, you should avoid regular soft drinks. The National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse recommends replacing sweet beverages with diet soda and other sugar-free beverages.
Kidney Damage Link
Anyone with kidney disease should avoid foods that increase the risk for additional kidney damage. Research indicates that consumption of regular soft drinks may increase the risk for damaged kidneys. In a study led by David Shoham of the Stritch School of Medicine at Loyola University of Chicago, investigators reviewed the results of the 1999 to 2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to determine the effects of soft drink consumption on kidney function. They concluded that consuming two or more sugary sodas per day may have a link to kidney damage. The authors suggest further research to determine why soda consumption might have this effect. This review appeared in the PLos ONE open source research journal in 2008.
References
- Edinburgh Renal Unit; Chronic Renal Failure and its Progression; Morwenna Wood; March 2000
- Mayo Clinic; Low-Phosphorus Diet: Best for Kidney Disease?; Erik Castle, M.D.; August 2010
- NKUDIC; Kidney Disease of Diabetes; September 2008
- National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse; What I Need to Know About Eating and Diabetes; October 2007
- PubMed.gov; Sugary Soda Consumption and Albuminuria: Results From the NHNNES, 1999-2004; D. Shoham, et al.; 2008
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