Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Stone Prevention
National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse
How does diet affect the risk • Calcium phosphate stones are less com
mon. Calcium phosphate stones tend to
of developing kidney stones? form when the urine is alkaline, mean
Diet is one of several factors that can pro ing it has a high pH.
U.S. Department mote or inhibit kidney stone formation.
of Health and Other factors include heredity, environment, • Uric acid stones are more likely to form
Human Services
weight, and fluid intake. The body uses when the urine is persistently acidic,
food for energy and tissue repair. After the which may result from a diet rich in ani
NATIONAL
body uses what it needs, waste products in mal proteins and purines—substances
INSTITUTES
OF HEALTH the bloodstream are carried to the kidneys found naturally in all food but especially
and excreted as urine. Certain foods create in organ meats, fish, and shellfish.
wastes that may form crystals in the urinary • Struvite stones result from infections in
tract. In some people, the crystals grow into the kidney. Preventing struvite stones
stones. For people who have had a kidney depends on staying infection free. Diet
stone, preventing another will be a prior has not been shown to affect struvite
ity. In addition to dietary changes, a person stone formation.
may need medicine to prevent kidney stones.
• Cystine stones result from a rare
The first step in preventing kidney stones is
genetic disorder that causes cystine—an
to learn what kind of stones a person’s body
amino acid, one of the building blocks
typically makes.
of protein—to leak through the kidneys
and into the urine to form crystals.
What are the types of kidney
stones? Why is knowing which
• Calcium oxalate stones are the most type of stone a person has
common. They tend to form when the
urine is acidic, meaning it has a low pH.
important?
Some of the oxalate in urine is pro Knowing the chemical makeup of the stone
duced by the body. Calcium and oxalate helps the doctor identify why the patient
in the diet play a part but are not the is prone to stone formation. The kind of
only factors that affect the formation of stone a person’s body makes determines
calcium oxalate stones. Dietary oxalate what dietary changes may be needed. For
is an organic molecule found in many example, limiting oxalate in the diet may
vegetables, fruits, and nuts. Calcium help prevent calcium oxalate stones but will
from bone may also play a role in kidney do nothing to prevent uric acid stones. Some
stone formation. dietary recommendations may apply to more
than one type of stone. Most notably, drink
ing enough water helps prevent all kinds of
kidney stones.
How does a doctor A person at risk for cystine stones should
drink enough water each day to dilute the
determine the type of concentration of cystine that escapes into the
kidney stone? urine, which may be difficult. More than a
If a person can catch a kidney stone as it gallon of water may be needed every 24 hours.
passes, the doctor can send the stone to
a laboratory for analysis. For stones that What fluids protect against
are causing symptoms, the doctor may also
retrieve a stone surgically or with a scope kidney stone formation?
inserted through the urethra into the bladder Water is an inexpensive and calorie-free
or ureter. protection against kidney stones.
The doctor will also order tests to look for Some studies suggest citrus drinks like
unusual levels of chemicals such as calcium, lemonade and orange juice protect against
oxalate, magnesium, and sodium in the stones because they contain citrate, which
blood and urine to help design a prevention stops crystals from growing into stones. But
strategy. no large-scale trials have been conducted to
confirm these findings. While citrus drinks
may be helpful in preventing calcium oxalate
How much fluid should a stones and uric acid stones, they might be
person drink to prevent harmful for people who form calcium phos
stone formation? phate stones.
The amount of fluid a person needs to drink Coffee and tea can add to a person’s total
depends on the weather and the person’s fluid intake and have been shown to reduce
activity level. People who have had a kidney the risk of stone formation, but they do
stone should drink enough water and other contain oxalate. Moderate intake of beer
fluids to produce at least 2 quarts of urine a and wine may also protect against stone
day. Some doctors have their patients col formation.
lect urine for 24 hours so the volume can be
measured. The doctor can then advise the
patient about increasing fluid intake, if nec
What fluids should be
essary. People who work or exercise in hot avoided?
weather need more fluid to replace the fluid Grapefruit juice and dark colas have been
they lose through sweat. Drinking enough found to increase the risk of stone formation
water helps keep urine diluted and flushes and should be avoided by people who are
away materials that might form stones and is prone to calcium oxalate stone formation.
the most important thing a person can do to Although cranberry juice is often promoted
prevent kidney stones. as useful for preventing urinary tract infec
tions, it contains oxalate and may be harmful
to stone formers.
who has a tendency to form kidney stones • How much protein and what type of
should consult a doctor or dietitian before protein should I eat every day?
taking large doses of vitamins or minerals.
• Am I getting enough calcium in my
diet?
How does a person’s
• Can you recommend a dietitian who
weight affect kidney stone specializes in kidney stone preven
formation? tion or renal nutrition?
Studies have shown that being overweight • Do I need to take medication to
increases the risk of uric acid and calcium prevent kidney stones?
into the urine and thus increase the • What is the natural substance(s) found
risk of calcium containing kidney in urine that blocks stone formation?
stones. Reducing salt intake is pre
Participants in clinical trials can play a more
ferred to reducing calcium intake.
active role in their own health care, gain
• Foods rich in animal proteins—such access to new research treatments before
as meat, eggs, and fish—contain they are widely available, and help others by
purines and can increase the risk of contributing to medical research. For infor
uric acid stones and calcium stones. mation about current studies, visit
• Calcium from food can help prevent www.ClinicalTrials.gov.
kidney stone formation and help
maintain bone density.
• Avoiding foods rich in oxalates, such
as spinach and rhubarb, may help
prevent calcium oxalate stones.
• After a doctor has completed an
evaluation and determined the
causes of a person’s stones, a
dietitian can help a person plan
meals that lower the risk of forming
stones.