The queries like “what is when kidney stones” millions of answers in the search results. That is, the interest in the topic, obviously, is extremely high. We decided not to stay on the sidelines and talk about how to build a system of food for kidney stones or the tendency to the formation of stones.
“Drink plenty of fluids, consume less salt and include in the diet foods rich in calcium. Everything else depends on the chemical composition of your stones,” says The New York Times specialist in emergency medicine Richard KLASCO (Richard Klasco).
Calcium, magnesium, potassium, and water
More than 90% of stones contain calcium, usually in the form of calcium oxalate, calcium phosphate or hydroxyapatite. Rarely stones are formed of uric acid or some other chemical substances. Moreover, different types of stones can occur in one and the same person.
Since most stones contain calcium, doctors have historically advised patients to reduce the amount of calcium in the diets. So if the recommendations above are you surprised, this is, pardon the tautology, is not surprising. However, new research shows that such advice was erroneous.
In the early 1990-ies a group of doctors from Harvard University (Harvard University) for four years followed the health of 45,000 men who have never had kidney stones, and came to a surprising conclusion. It turned out that diets high in calcium reduce, and not increase the risk of kidney stones.
Scientists continued to monitor indicators of the health of patients within 14 years, and again found that dietary calcium protected against the formation of stones (although, to be fair, this effect was observed only in men younger than 60 years). While diets high in magnesium, potassium and fluid also demonstrated a noticeable protective functions.
The main recommendations of urologists
In 2005, the number of volunteers was increased to 240 000 people. Since it has been discovered that obesity and unhealthy weight gain, especially in women, increase the risk of formation of kidney stones.
Later, in an attempt to give patients advice on nutrition, the Harvard team found that the DASH diet system nutrition high in fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes, low-fat dairy products and whole grains, low in sodium, sweetened beverages, red and processed meat is useful not only for hypertension (transcript title: Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) and to reduce the risk of kidney stones.
However, to strictly follow the DASH diet not necessarily. Because of the American urological Association (American Urological Association), for example, gives a much more simple but effective recommendations:
- Drink at least 2.5 liters of fluid a day;
- Limit sodium intake to 2300 mg per day;
- Get 1000-1200 mg of dietary calcium daily.
Plenty of fluids deserves in this list. Because the water is not the only fluid which protects from kidney stones. Studies show that the same advantages arise from the consumption of coffee, tea, orange juice and even wine.
On the other hand, if you want to change the diet according to the different needs, the reduction of those risks, you should consult with your doctor. For the simple reason that only a doctor can give you more specific recommendations, as we have said, with the chemical composition of the insoluble salt formations.