Top 10 Drugs That Cause Kidney Damage: Protect Your Health Today

Understanding Kidney Damage and the Medications that Cause It

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Did you know that your drug use might have a long-term impact on your body’s ability to function and perform the behind-the-scenes work that keeps you moving? Kidney disease is common with both illicit and over-the-counter medications. What are the top 10 drugs that cause kidney damage?

Some of the addictive drugs available to you cause the most damage, including cocaine, heroin, meth, ecstasy (MDMA), and alcohol. However, you may be at risk if you take over-the-counter or prescribed medications. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), acetaminophen, lithium and other mood stabilizers, herbal supplements, and laxatives also impact kidney function.

Purpose Healing Center can help you combat substance misuse, whether you are taking illicit drugs or abusing over-the-counter medications. From medical detox to residential, we offer the help you need. Keep reading to learn what the research has to say about kidney damage and how it happens.

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Addictive Drugs that Impact Kidney Function and Cause Kidney Disease

While some legal drugs contribute to chronic kidney disease, it’s also worth thinking about substance abuse of illegal drugs. If you partake in any of these substances, you may want to consult with a physician to evaluate the health of your kidneys sooner rather than later.

Purpose Healing Center offers medical detox to help with the withdrawal process of both illicit substances and prescription medications taken recreationally. We offer a very robust residential program that can help you take the first steps toward sobriety.

1 – Cocaine

Cocaine - Drugs That Cause Kidney Damage

In addition to sinus issues related to cocaine use, you may also be doing serious damage to your kidneys. A landmark study noted that the drug has adverse effects including oxidative stress and intense vasoconstriction. However, researchers also found a high instance of AKI (acute kidney injury), hypertension, and chronic kidney disease.

The same study found that 50 to 60 percent of people who abused cocaine and heroin had increased risk factors for kidney disease, including an increased risk of HIV, hepatitis, and others.

Cocaine is known for reducing blood flow. The result is that your kidneys (and other organs) might end up deprived of essential oxygen and nutrients needed to function at the highest level. While you may feel more alert, your body can become sluggish with this low blood flow.

2- Heroin

While we touched on it in the last section, heroin deserves its own section for the damage it does to kidney function long-term. To assess kidney damage, researchers biopsied the organs of heroin users in a small sample population. The findings were a high correlation between end-stage renal disease and sclerosing glomerulonephritis with heroin use.

Heroin use can also impact water and food intake, urine volume, and creatinine and proteins found in the urine. The result of all of these variables is an increased risk of kidney damage in the long term.

Other issues related to heroin use that contribute to kidney issues include low blood pressure and the potential for hyperinsulinemia. As the body processes glucose differently and pumps less blood to the kidneys, you’re at a much greater risk of issues.

3- Methamphetamine

Methamphetamine - Drugs That Cause Kidney Damage

Even when taken at relatively low doses, methamphetamines are hard on the body in general. However, higher doses are closely correlated with further kidney damage. The mechanism of the damage of meth use is believed to be due to oxidative stress and minor increases in certain biochemical markers like BUN and Cr.

Until recently, most physicians focused on the likelihood of liver damage as a result of meth use. While this still remains the primary concern, those who abuse it at higher doses may also end up with digestive and kidney diseases that impact their quality of life.

4- Ecstasy

This street drug is well-known for its serious impact on kidney injury that tends to be more severe in some cases–and potentially even fatal for some users. According to the research, heavy ecstasy use can lead to acute kidney injury or acute kidney failure.

The root causes of kidney damage at this level include rhabdomyolysis, malignant hypertension, and necrotizing vasculitis.

Once you reach this point of damage to the internal organ, you will need medical intervention.

Other kidney issues seen by MDMA users include problems with fluid and electrolyte imbalance and hyperthermia. Some of these issues can present even with just a single dose of ecstasy, so first-time users aren’t spared from the health effects of the drugs.

5- Alcohol

Alcohol - Drugs That Cause Kidney Damage

Alcohol is often overlooked as a drug, but its propensity to cause serious kidney problems means it should be included on this list. The National Kidney Foundation is clear when it comes to the effect it has on your organs: Heavy drinking doubles your chances of developing kidney disease.

What is considered heavy drinking? For women, it means three drinks a day or seven drinks in a week. Men can imbibe more frequently at four drinks a day or fourteen drinks a week.

While it is recommended not to drink at all if you struggle with substance use, you may consider pursuing help if you fall into this category before kidney injury takes place.

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Other Drugs that Lead to Chronic Kidney Disease

Of course, research shows that there are other medicines besides illicit and addictive substances that contribute to decreased kidney function. Some of them are even sold over the counter but can harm your kidneys when taken long-term or at higher doses.

If you have to use these over-the-counter medications, be cautious of abusing them. Consider seeing your doctor for alternatives if you experience kidney problems.

6 – Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs

Most of us don’t think twice about popping nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) when we have aches and pains. NSAIDs include common painkillers like ibuprofen, aspirin, and naproxen, all of which are common staples of the American medicine cabinet.

What do they have to do with your blood flow and the potential for kidney failure?

Research shows that these drugs are known for decreasing blood flow. In turn, this makes it hard for the kidneys to filter waste products the way they were designed to do. Kidney inflammation and damage to kidney cells are the long-term impacts of heavy NSAID use.

Nephrotic syndrome from NSAIDs may be reversible.

7 – Lithium and Other Mood Stabilizers

Mood Stabilizer - Drugs That Cause Kidney Damage

Sometimes, you might have a prescription for drugs that combat other health problems and can impact healthy kidneys. Lithium and some mood stabilizers prescribed for bipolar disorder and similar conditions can be the key suspects in kidney problems. While it may help improve moods, it should be taken with caution.

Acute kidney function issues should be monitored closely by your prescribing doctor or primary care physician when taking medications in this category. You may need to come in for frequent blood draws to monitor organ function, but it could catch issues early.

What should your doctor look for if you take lithium? Research indicates that they need to check the glomerular filtration rate rather than the more standard serum urea and creatinine levels.

8 – Acetaminophen

Perhaps the most well-known drug to cause kidney issues is acetaminophen (Tylenol), which is sold to anyone and everyone at the local pharmacy. Even if you had no symptoms of kidney health issues beforehand, routine usage of acetaminophen can lead to new renal impairment in adults.

In the same meta-analysis of studies on acetaminophen, they found that adults taking it on a regular basis have a 23 percent greater risk of developing renal impairment.

It’s also worth noting that Harvard found that acetaminophen can cause high blood pressure in some patients prone to hypertension or cardiovascular issues. While it may not always impact blood flow, this could contribute to kidney issues in affected patients.

Consider taking something different for mild to moderate pain or fever if you are concerned about the damage this popular NSAID can have on your kidneys.

9 – Laxatives

Every now and again, you may need to take something to treat constipation. However, you shouldn’t rely on a pill to flush out your system regularly. You may need to consult with your healthcare professional to talk about necessary diet and lifestyle changes rather than excessive laxative use.

Why should you nix the laxatives in your medicine cabinet?

Using too many laxatives will result in a serious case of dehydration as you run to the bathroom again and again. You may also experience an electrolyte imbalance. Combined, these two conditions make it that much harder for your kidneys to function.

If you struggle with an eating disorder and are taking medications like laxatives to cope with eating, seek help from a qualified treatment center.

10 – Certain Herbal Supplements

Licorice Root - Drugs That Cause Kidney Damage

You should be cautious when taking anything that isn’t prescribed by a doctor and dispensed by a pharmacy. Herbal supplements may not be regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and could cause more harm than good without this oversight.

Some supplements are more well-known for their contribution to kidney stones and kidney disease than others. For example, licorice root imbalances electrolytes and contributes to high blood pressure, which seriously impacts your kidney function, among other bodily systems.

Common vitamins and minerals can also lead to issues, including vitamin C and the herbs found in black tea. Both are known to produce more kidney stones, which can be painful to pass. Others act as a water pill that flushes fluids out of the body and can lead to issues with kidney health and irritation.

Act out of an abundance of caution when taking herbal supplements and be sure to know your allergic reactions, if any, to such supplements.

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If you find yourself struggling with chronic substance use issues that could have serious impacts on the rest of your body, Purpose Healing Center is here to help. We offer a dedicated medically supervised detox for all forms of substances, where our clinical team and support staff can ensure your comfort and safety as much as possible during the withdrawal period.

From here, you can transition to our residential treatment program, where you will continue to have 24/7 access to the highest quality care. You will have a team of healthcare professionals at your disposal for medical concerns, emotional needs, and comprehensive assessments. Our team helps you get to the bottom of substance use issues.

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