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Kidney stones are crystals formed inside the kidney. Kidney stone disease is known as nephrolithiasis or urolithiasis. (1)
Short-term complications of kidney stones include nausea, vomiting, and blood in the urine, and long-term complications include renal failure. (1)
Scroll down to see more details about what causes kidney stones and how to prevent them.
How to Prevent Kidney Stones
These lifestyle measures can help prevent kidney stones.
1. Staying hydrated
Drinking six to eight 8-ounce glasses of water daily is recommended by most health care professionals. (2)(3) Proper hydration helps the kidneys flush out metabolic waste, preventing their concentration into crystals.
2. Watching what you eat
- Avoid oxalate-rich foods. Such foods include grapefruit, cranberry juice, asparagus, soybeans, spinach, some nuts such as cashews and peanuts, beets, and celery.
- Avoid caffeine-containing drinks such as coffee, sodas, chocolate, and energy drinks. Caffeine speeds up metabolism, leading to dehydration, which increases the risk of stone formation.
- Limit salt intake. The sodium in salt can lead to water retention and dehydration, thus increasing the risk of stone formation. Many canned foods, fast foods, and meats contain high levels of sodium. Hence, avoid these foods or limit their intake after consultation with your doctor.
- Limit intake of animal protein. A diet rich in animal protein increases the risk of kidney stones. Cutting down on animal protein decreases uric acid formation and hence prevents the formation of uric acid stones. Hence, cut down on animal proteins such as beef, chicken, pork, eggs, shellfish, and organ meats.
- Check food labels. Avoid foods that mention sodium chloride, monosodium glutamate, and sodium nitrate in the ingredient list.
- Include foods that are low in oxalate in your diet. These include cabbage, cauliflower, grapes, melons, bananas, and cucumber.
- Consume citrus fruits. Lemons, oranges, and limes are high in citrate, which can prevent calcium stone formation.
- Get enough dietary calcium. Though calcium may sound like it can increase the formation of kidney stones, it is not so. It can block other substances in the digestive tract that cause the formation of kidney stones. (3)
3. Maintaining a healthy body weight
Being obese and overweight increases the risk of kidney stone formation. (4) Hence, avoid fatty foods and refined sugars.
4. Exercising regularly
Mild-to-moderate exercise for at least 30 minutes daily will help in maintaining your body weight and lower the risk of kidney stone formation. (5) Exercising may divert calcium to the bones, lowering the risk of calcium stone formation.
Types of Kidney Stones
Depending on the abnormalities in the chemical composition of the urine, the chemical composition of kidney stones also varies, and based on their chemical composition, kidney stones are classified into five types: (6)
- Calcium stones: These are made up of either calcium oxalate or calcium phosphate and are the most common kidney stones. (1)(6)
- Struvite stones: These are chemically magnesium ammonium phosphate stones and are formed as a result of chronic urinary tract infections.
- Uric acid stones: These stones are formed as a result of consuming a diet high in animal protein such as fish and meat.
- Cystine stones: These stones are formed as a result of a genetic disorder resulting in excessive excretion of the amino acid cystine.
- Drug-induced stones: Some drugs such as sulfa drugs induce kidney stone formation by causing the deposition of calcium oxalate in the kidneys.
Risk Factors for Kidney Stones
Risk factors related to kidney stones vary among different populations, and environmental factors play a key role in their pathogenesis. These factors include: (6)
1. Sex
Men are more likely to get kidney stones than women. This is probably because of the effect of the male and female sex hormones (androgen and estrogen) on the formation of oxalate stones.
Estrogen (the female sex hormone) prevents the formation of kidney stones by increasing the production of citric acid thereby increasing the acidity of the urine, which in turn prevents the formation of kidney stones.
2. Obesity
When you are overweight, you tend to get kidney stones due to increased urinary excretion of calcium and uric acid. (6)(7)
3. High intake of vitamins D and C
High levels of vitamin D increase the risk of kidney stone formation by increasing the excretion of urinary calcium, according to a report published in 2018 in Nutrients. (8)
Vitamin C or ascorbic acid is excreted as such or as oxalate in the urine, thereby increasing the risk of the formation of oxalate stones. (9)
4. Genetic factors
More than a third of the people who have kidney stones have a family history of urolithiasis. A recent study published in 2022 in Frontiers in Genetics implicated four genes in kidney stone formation. (10)
5. Unhealthy diet
When you indulge in excessive intake of caffeine, salt, fat, dairy products, and animal proteins, you are at a greater risk of getting kidney stones. (6)(7)
Kids should eat less salty potato chips, French fries, packaged meals, canned soups, and even some sports drinks. Sodas and other sweetened beverages can also increase the risk of stones if they contain high-fructose corn syrup. Moreover, avoid excessive smoking and excessive alcohol consumption.
6. Immobilization
Injury to the spinal cord allows calcium to be released in circulation and eventually to be filtered by the kidneys, but sometimes stones are formed. (11)
7. Change in urine pH
Constant acidic or alkaline urine may provide a favorable medium for the formation of kidney stones, especially magnesium ammonium phosphate or calcium phosphate stones. That is why drinking water is very important. (12)
8. Metabolic disorders
You are at greater risk of kidney stones if you have diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or hyperthyroidism. (13)
Diagnosing Kidney Stones
Usually, an ultrasound is enough to confirm the diagnosis and may be followed by other tests advised by a qualified urologist such as a CT scan along with a routine urine examination. (14)
Most-Asked Questions About Kidney Stones
How common are kidney stones?
At least 1 in 10 people have kidney stones at some point in their life.
What are the most common symptoms of kidney stones?
Small kidney stones do not cause any symptoms and sometimes are excreted out of the body without causing much pain.
Larger stones cause nausea, vomiting, bloody urine, and intense pain in the lower back. They may also cause vague pain or a stomachache that doesn’t go away even after one hour, severe pain on either side of the lower back, fever, or chills with flank pain.
What is the best way to prevent kidney stones?
The best way to prevent kidney stones is by staying hydrated.
What are the complications of kidney stones?
Depending on the location of the stones, complications can be different. Large stones cause obstruction, hydronephrosis, and serious bleeding.
Final Word
Kidney stone disease is a urological disorder and affects a large chunk of the global population. Initially, it does not cause any symptoms, but later on, it can prove to be very painful and can lead to renal failure in extreme cases.
Increasing fluid intake coupled with a healthy lifestyle is the best preventive strategy.
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