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The unit objective that I chose to cover is “describe the function of electrolytes and solutes and their digestion.” I did some research on alcohol’s effects on the kidney and chose to represent the lasting effects that alcohol has on a healthy kidney. I will use digital art by showing what a healthy kidney looks like and what it looks like after adding alcohol, which results in a unhealthy kidney.
The kidneys are essential for regulating the volume and composition of bodily fluids. One way the kidneys can control the volume is by the amount of water excreted in the urine. The kidneys can either conserve water by producing urine, or they can rid the body of excess water that is diluted to plasma. Direct control of water excretion in the kidney is caused by anti-diuretic hormone (ADH), a peptide hormone secreted by the hypothalamus. ADH causes the insertion of water channels into the membranes of cells lining the collecting ducts, allowing water reabsorption to occur. Without ADH, little water is reabsorbed in the collecting ducts and dilute urine is excreted. By stretch receptors in the atria of the heart, which are activated by a larger than normal volume of blood returning to the hearts from the veins. This inhibits ADH secretion, because the body wants to rid itself of the excess fluid volume.
The kidney tubules play an important role in keeping the body’s water and electrolyte levels in equilibrium. In addition to their role in regulating the body’s fluid composition, the kidneys produce hormones that influence a host of physiological processes. Besides producing hormones, the kidneys respond to the actions of regulatory hormones produced in the brain, the parathyroid glands in neck, and the adrenal glands located atop the kidneys.
Alcohol can disrupt the hormonal control mechanisms that govern kidney function. By promoting liver disease, chronic drinking has further detrimental effects on the kidneys. Alcohol’s ability to increase urine volume alters the body’s fluid level and produces disturbances in electrolyte concentrations. Alcohol can produce urine flow within 20 minutes of consumption, the concentration of electrolytes in blood serum increases. Increased urine flow results from alcohol’s acute inhibition of the release of antidiuretic hormone, which normally promotes the formation of concentrated urine by inducing the kidneys to conserve fluids.
Alcohol on the kidneys can also lead to acute kidney failure. Alcohol can cause changes in the function of the kidneys and make them less able to filter your blood. One of the important jobs for your kidneys to function is to be able to keep the right amount of water in your body.
In summary, there are so many negative effects that alcohol takes place on the kidneys and the body. In addition, alcohol can disrupt the hormonal control mechanisms that govern kidney function. By promoting liver disease, chronic drinking has further detrimental effects on the kidneys, including impaired sodium and fluid handling and even acute kidney failure.
Sources
Fluid and Electrolyte Balance, mcb.berkeley.edu/courses/mcb135e/kidneyfluid.html#:~:text=One%20way%20the%20the%20kidneys,is%20dilute%20relative%20to%20plasma. Accessed 26 July 2023.
Epstein, M. (1997). Alcohol’s impact on kidney function. PubMed Central (PMC). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6826793/#:~:text=In%20addition%2C%20alcohol%20can%20disrupt,and%20even%20acute%20kidney%20failure.
The objective being covered is to describe the function of electrolytes and solutes and their digestion. I learned that the kidneys can either conserve water by producing urine, or they can rid the body of excess water when it is diluted to plasma. A peptide hormone secreted by the hypothalamus, known as ADH, controls the excretion of water in the kidneys. ADH causes the insertion of water channels into the membranes of cells lining the collecting ducts, allowing water reabsorption to occur. The kidney tubules play an important role in keeping the body’s water and electrolyte levels in equilibrium. In addition to their role in regulating the body’s fluid composition, the kidneys produce hormones that influence a host of physiological processes. Alcohol can disrupt the hormonal control mechanisms that govern kidney function. Chronic drinking can have detrimental effects on the kidneys. Alcohol’s ability to increase urine volume alters the body’s fluid level and produces disturbances in electrolyte concentrations. One of the most important jobs the kidneys do is to keep the right amount of water in your body, and alcohol can cause changes in the kidneys causing them to not be able to filter blood properly.
Your picture is great and I enjoyed reading your article. It’s very informative and I feel like I learned a lot about what alcohol does to the kidneys. Great job!