Spoiler alert: It's not for those with kidney disease.
For thousands of years, humans have been consuming alcohol, but its effects on the body weren't really understood until recently. The Mayo Clinic defines 'moderate alcohol use' as no more than one drink per day for women and no more than two drinks per day for men, however, some healthcare professionals recommend avoiding it altogether – and that's probably not bad advice for those who suffer from chronic kidney disease.
Now, we've all heard about alcohol's effect on the liver, but it exacerbates other health issues as well. When you consume a few bottles of your favorite India-Pale-Ales, those ethanol molecules enter your bloodstream via the liver, hence blood-alcohol-content, but it's still in your blood and, according to the National Kidney Foundation, can alter your kidney function. Typically, those who suffer from liver disease often times have corresponding kidney disease because the kidneys are trying to compensate for the liver's dysfunction.
For example, your kidneys are tasked with maintaining the right amount of water in your body and alcohol complicates that process. Regular dehydration isn't really great for any of your organs, but it's especially hard on your kidneys – and it doesn't help if those beers you're throwing back are followed by handfuls of salted nuts. Furthermore, your kidneys help regulate your blood pressure, and drinking on top of that isn't recommended. Alcohol has been known to react with blood pressure medications, which for some people, could lead to more serious complications.
The best thing to do is to eliminate drinking altogether, but if you love a few fingers of whiskey every now and then or a nice cold craft brew on a warm sunny day you might be able to do that in moderation, just make sure you ask your doctor – only they know your exact condition, its severity, and how alcohol will interact with your medications.