Does high calcium level increase the risk of kidney stones? Stay away from the "three musts" in your diet! Gao Minmin: 4 high-risk groups to prevent being hit

If you experience symptoms such as severe low back pain, hematuria, and difficulty urinating, be careful of kidney stones! According to statistics from the Central Health Insurance Administration of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, approximately 450,000 people sought medical treatment for urolithiasis in 2010, with the number of males being 1.97 times that of females. There is an "urban legend" about the induction of kidney stones, that is, high-calcium foods can cause kidney stones. Is this true? Nutritionist Gao Minmin reminds us that there are "three do's and three don'ts" in diet to effectively prevent kidney stones.

Many patients with stones often deliberately avoid high-calcium foods because they think that stones are made of calcium and they worry that calcium will make the stone condition worse. Nutritionist Gao Minmin said that this way of thinking is wrong! In fact, sufficient calcium can reduce the absorption of oxalic acid by the human intestine and help reduce the occurrence of kidney stones.

What are kidney stones?

First, let’s understand what kidney stones are? Kidney stones are a type of urinary tract stones. They are hard crystalline deposits formed by kidney metabolites in the urine. They accumulate in the kidneys and grow larger over time.

What are the types of kidney stones?

There are many types of kidney stones. The most common is calcium oxalate stones, accounting for about 75%, which appear as dense stones in white, gray, black, etc. In addition, there are phosphate stones, which account for about 10~20%. The shape of phosphate stones is relatively irregular and is mostly caused by bacterial infection. Uric acid stones account for about 5%. They are transparent orange-yellow crystals and are usually formed when the uric acid level in the body is too high. Others include cystine stones.

There are many types of kidney stones. The most common are calcium oxalate stones, accounting for about 75%, which appear as dense stones in white, gray, black, etc.

Four high-risk groups for kidney stones

Let’s take a look at who are at high risk of kidney stones? The following four groups of people should be careful:

1. Insufficient water intake

If you do not have any special diseases, it is recommended that you drink at least 1500-2000cc of water every day. When the weather is hot, you should drink more water.

2. Obese people

Obesity, such as increased weight, BMI, and waist circumference, is closely related to kidney stones.

3. Unbalanced diet

Only consuming a specific diet or frequently eating foods high in sodium, sugar, oxalate, protein, etc. can easily increase the risk of kidney stones.

4. Family or personal medical history or other diseases

If someone in the family suffers from kidney stones, other family members may have a higher risk than the average person, or people with other physical illnesses may also develop kidney stones.

Drinking 2500cc of water every day and urinating a lot can dilute urinary calcium and oxalic acid precipitation to avoid excessive concentration. Drinking 2500cc of water every day can not only increase urine output, but also help metabolism.

Dietary Tips for Preventing Kidney Stones: Three Dos and Three Don’ts

How should you eat to effectively prevent or improve kidney stones? Nutritionist Gao Minmin said that the following are the "three do's and three don'ts" of diet to prevent kidney stones:

Three Essentials of Diet

1. Eat enough calcium

Daily calcium intake of 1000 mg can reduce the absorption of oxalic acid in the human intestine and help reduce the recurrence of kidney stones. Many people worry about the formation of calcium oxalate in the body and thus reduce calcium supplementation. In fact, only by taking in enough calcium on a regular basis can the problem of stones be prevented or improved.

2. Drink enough water

Drinking 2500cc of water every day and urinating a lot can dilute urinary calcium and oxalic acid precipitation to avoid excessive concentration. Drinking 2500cc of water every day can not only increase urine output, but also help metabolism.

3. Adequate amount of plant protein

Eat plant protein in moderation, but reduce animal protein. Eating too much animal protein can easily increase the urine calcium concentration. It is recommended to replace part of the red meat intake with soy products or other high-plant protein. For example, black beans, soybeans, edamame, chickpeas, etc. are all very good plant proteins.

Three things not to do in your diet

1. High Oxalate Diet

Drink less strong tea, excessive coffee and other high-oxalate beverages, and take calcium supplements between meals. This will not only reduce oxalate absorption but also provide enough calcium.

2. High in Vitamin C

Excessive vitamin C metabolism will form oxalic acid, increasing the risk of hyperoxaluria. The recommended daily intake for adults is 100 mg, and it should mainly come from natural sources. Too much will cause a burden on the body.

3. High-sodium and salty diet

When the body takes in too much sodium, it will be excreted in the urine, which may increase the urinary calcium concentration and increase the precipitation and crystallization of stones.

Nutritionist Gao Minmin finally reminded that the above is for "calcium oxalate" stones that many people will encounter. If it is crystal stones caused by excessive uric acid, you can choose a "low-purine diet" to improve it.

In other words, adjustments should be made based on the "type of stones" and professional medical tests should be used to determine what type of stones they are. Only then can treatment be tailored to the condition.