Impact of mild-to-moderate alcohol consumption and smoking on kidney function.

It has been noted that modifiable lifestyle factors, such as alcohol,¹smoking,² sleep and exercise, contribute to progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD).³ Excessive alcohol consumption can lead to a variety of adverse effects, including liver disease, heart failure, increased cancer risk, neurologic complications and unintentional injuries. Balanced against these deleterious effects is the observation that compared to abstinence or heavy drinking, moderate alcohol intake may have health benefits, particularly in regard to cardiovascular disease (CVD)⁴ and type 2 diabetes;⁵however, its association with the risk of CKD had received considerably less attention.