Drinking water seems simple, yet many people do it the wrong way and unintentionally damage their kidneys.

Recently, Mr. Zhao, 50, from China, often felt tired, had lower-back pain, weak limbs, and even mild swelling. The symptoms lasted for more than two weeks. At first, he assumed he was just overworked and that a few days of rest would fix it. But things got worse. When he finally went to the hospital, the doctor diagnosed him with chronic kidney disease stage 3b — an advanced stage of kidney failure.

Cases like his are far from rare.

Most people with chronic kidney disease have no idea they’re sick until it’s already serious. At the final stage, patients must undergo dialysis or receive a kidney transplant.

Many people only drink water when they feel thirsty, leading to long-term dehydration. This reduces the kidneys’ ability to filter toxins. Worse, four types of beverages can significantly increase the burden on the kidneys.

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1. Bone broth and long-simmered soups

These soups are popular, but the longer they simmer, the higher their nitrite content becomes. After 4 hours, nitrite levels rise sharply; after 6 hours, the health risks increase even more.

They also contain extremely high purine levels, which raise uric acid, increasing the risk of gout and kidney stones.

A 260 ml bowl of broth can contain up to 400 mg of purines. Drinking just two bowls exceeds the recommended daily intake, forcing the kidneys to work excessively hard.

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2. Sugary drinks

This includes soft drinks, packaged fruit juices, milk tea, sports drinks, etc.

A 2024 study in Frontiers in Nutrition tracking more than 190,000 people found:

– Drinking more than 250 ml of sugary beverages per day increases the risk of chronic kidney disease by 45%.
– Drinks with artificial sweeteners increase the risk by 52%.

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3. Strong tea and strong coffee

Some people brew tea using half a pot of tea leaves. But high caffeine levels can increase heart rate and blood pressure, putting strain on the kidneys. The same risk applies to strong coffee.

Tea also contains tannins, which easily bind with minerals to form insoluble crystals — a major factor in kidney stone formation.

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4. Alcohol (beer and liquor)

Most people know alcohol harms the liver, but it also damages the kidneys. Excessive drinking generates free radicals and oxidative stress, injuring kidney cells.

Long-term alcohol consumption can also cause muscle breakdown, increasing the risk of rhabdomyolysis, a dangerous condition that may lead to acute kidney failure.

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4 warning signs your kidneys are “calling for help”

Chronic kidney disease progresses silently. There is no pain, fever, or itching, yet kidney function declines day by day. Once damaged, kidney tissue is extremely hard to recover.

– Abnormal urine:
Foamy urine that doesn’t dissipate; tests showing proteinuria or micro-albumin — an early sign of glomerular damage.

– Swelling (edema):
Most noticeable in the morning: puffy eyelids, mild facial swelling. Some people experience swollen legs that leave an indentation when pressed.

– Fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea:
When the kidneys can’t remove toxins and maintain electrolyte balance, metabolism becomes disrupted. Reduced erythropoietin production also leads to anemia, making patients feel exhausted.

– High blood pressure:
Hypertension is both a cause and a consequence of kidney disease. Studies show that blood pressure above 130/80 mmHg accelerates glomerular scarring over time.