A Professor of Medicine and Nephrology at the University of Ghana Medical School, Professor Vincent Boima, has called for scientific research into the safety of the local gin, akpeteshie, to determine its potential health risks.
According to him, the locally distilled gin contains methanol, a substance he described as unhealthy for the body.
“It is toxic. But we are consuming this in large amounts.
That can be a potential reason to say maybe there is kidney disease. It could increase your risk of kidney stones, etc., and so, the local akpeteshie per se has to be studied to see if it is safe for our consumption or not.”
— Professor Boima said at a public lecture in Accra.
The lecture formed part of activities marking the 25th anniversary of the University of Ghana College of Health Sciences, held under the theme:
“To eat or not to eat: Dietary habits and the courting of kidney diseases.”
Methanol in local gin
Methanol is often present in akpeteshie as a natural byproduct of fermentation and can also result from improper distillation techniques.
While the active ingredient in akpeteshie is ethanol, methanol levels vary widely, and some studies have detected high concentrations in local samples.
Consumption of methanol can cause serious health complications, including blindness and death.
A Senior Research Fellow at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Dr Dwomoa Adu, also participated in the session, sharing insights on kidney health and safe medication use.
Excessive water intake
Addressing the topic of water consumption, Prof. Boima cautioned against overhydration.
“Our nutritionist, a professional nutritionist, had already educated the public about water intake. Nobody is saying that we should drown ourselves in water.”
He emphasised that adequate water intake — not excessive — is essential for good health, warning that too much water can lead to water intoxication.
“So, there is water intoxication; we take in water that dilutes down all your electrolytes, especially the sodium,” he said, explaining that when sodium levels drop too low, “you can even have seizures.”
Prof. Boima further noted that “adequate intake of water is what is required,” adding that water needs depend on body weight.
He explained that “people take about two litres of water per hour, three litres per hour, among others, but normally, you can also increase the average water intake per body weight,” and that there were formulas to estimate fluid needs based on body mass index.
Paracetamol and kidney health
On whether paracetamol could damage the kidneys, Dr. Dwomoa Adu clarified that normal doses are generally safe.
“Ordinary paracetamol, in doses of up to three or four grams a day, would not cause kidney damage. So it’s a safe painkiller in that respect,” he said, adding that it was safer than non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
However, he cautioned that an overdose of paracetamol could lead to poisoning and kidney failure.
Dr. Adu also dismissed concerns that sweetened cocoa beverages directly cause kidney problems.
“Unless you become diabetic from an excessive amount of sugar, and then it will take 10 years or 15 years for you to get kidney damage.
“So, taking cocoa as a drink itself does not cause kidney damage,” he assured the public.
