Can Consuming Caffeine and Sugar Cause Kidney Pain?

Your body relies on your kidneys to filter out dietary wastes and excess nutrients that can otherwise harm your health. When your kidneys don’t work as they should — often due to an underlying health condition — pain might be the first symptom you notice.

According to Cleveland Clinic, kidney pain comes on quickly. It may occur due to kidney stones, kidney infections (which often start as UTIs), urinary retention, or cancer. Of these conditions, kidney stones can develop due to a variety of factors, including the foods and drinks you consume, according to Mayo Clinic.

That said, kidney pain can sometimes occur if you have kidney stones and consume excess amounts of sweets or coffee. Here’s what to know.

Symptoms of Kidney Stones

If you have kidney stones, you may feel a dull ache in your back, sides, or flank area, according to the American Kidney Fund. You’ll likely notice pain on just one side rather than both.

According to Cleveland Clinic, kidney stones also may cause symptoms like:

• Nausea and vomiting
• Trouble peeing or pain while peeing
• Fever and chills

Does Consuming Caffeine and Sugar Lead to Kidney Pain?

Kidney stones develop from crystals that form in your urine from chemicals like calcium, phosphate, and oxalate, according to the National Kidney Foundation. Researchers haven’t identified specific foods that cause kidney stones. But eating some types of foods, such as those high in sugar or sodium, may encourage stone formation in people who are at risk of kidney stones.

While more studies are needed, some research actually shows that taking in caffeine may help lower your risk of kidney stones. It’s worth noting, though, that the lower risk of kidney stones was only linked among white people, women, and individuals who weren’t overweight.

Also, a major cause of kidney stones is dehydration, according to the National Kidney Foundation. The crystals in your urine can stick together and cause stones to develop if don’t drink enough water, or if you lose fluids and don’t replenish them. If you drink coffee or sugary drinks instead of water, you can raise your risk of dehydration — and that, in turn, can boost your chances of getting kidney stones.

How Are Kidney Stones Diagnosed and Treated?

If you get kidney pain, especially after eating, it’s important to let your healthcare provider know. According to the National Kidney Foundation, certain foods or eating patterns that may trigger kidney stones to form include:

• Meat
• Fish
• Seafood
• Diets high in sodium and sugar

In some cases, kidney stones can be asymptomatic long enough for kidney or ureter damage to escalate before you’re aware of any health problems, according to American Family Physician. That said, your provider can order diagnostic tests to see if any underlying health conditions are causing your symptoms.

Fortunately, there are several ways to treat kidney stones. Your exact treatment plan will depend on the type and size of your stones.

You can treat small stones that cause minimal symptoms at home with remedies like drinking more water and taking over-the-counter pain relievers, according to Mayo Clinic. Some kidney stones pass out of the body themselves during urination. With bigger stones, you may need to take medication or get surgery to get rid of them.

Complications

Your diet and hydration matter if you have a kidney condition. Not drinking enough water or eating foods high in sodium, sugar, and animal protein can trigger kidney pain.

While some stones pass on their own, it’s important to get medical help if you have kidney stones or suspect you have them. Without treatment, more stones can develop. That can make your symptoms worse and lead to more-serious complications, like kidney failure or sepsis, according to StatPearls.