You know the pain of passing a kidney stone, and you’re anxious to avoid another. The good news is that you can help prevent problematic stones with consistent habits that improve your urine chemistry and reduce the formation of stone-forming crystals.
At Family Urology Associates in Frederick, Maryland, Dr. Mohammed Haseebuddin (Dr. Haseeb) works closely with our patients to identify kidney stone risk factors and design personalized prevention plans. Alongside medical support, some simple tips can help you reclaim control of your urinary tract and, in many cases, keep kidney stones at bay.
It’s so important that it bears repeating: Hydration is crucial for a healthy urinary system. When you’re dehydrated, your urine becomes highly concentrated. This creates an environment where uric acid, oxalate, and minerals like calcium can easily clump together, crystallize, and form stones.
Individual hydration needs vary based on your general health and activity level, but the National Kidney Foundation recommends drinking 8-12 cups of water per day to help prevent kidney stones.
Healthy urine is usually pale yellow. The darker it is, the more you need to pay attention. Dark yellow, orange, brown, or bloody urine are all signs that something’s amiss with your urinary tract, often pointing to kidney stones.
About 80% of kidney stones are made of calcium. Many people who develop calcium kidney stones think they should avoid calcium — but that could end up hurting more than helping. The truth is that getting enough, but not too much, calcium can help you reduce kidney stone risk. It’s all about balance.
Calcium in food binds with oxalate — an organic acid in plants — in the digestive tract. This helps prevent oxalate from being absorbed in the blood and excreted in the urine. When you get too little calcium, more oxalate reaches the kidneys and raises the chances of calcium oxalate stones.
Some foods naturally contain higher levels of oxalate, such as spinach, nuts, and chocolate. You don’t need to cut out these foods entirely, but it’s important to be mindful of how and when you eat them. For example, eating oxalate-rich foods at the same time as calcium-rich foods — such as milk, broccoli, and cheese — can help prevent excessive oxalates from reaching the kidneys.
It’s also smart to avoid taking vitamin C supplements unless directed by Dr. Haseeb or another physician. Too much vitamin C can work against you by spiking your body’s oxalate production.
Many people don’t realize how much sodium intake affects kidney stone risk. When you regularly consume a lot of salt, your kidneys try to eliminate the excess by excreting it into the urine.
The urinary system processes sodium and calcium using some of the same pathways. When the kidneys excrete extra sodium, it takes the nearby calcium with it as it moves into your urine. This leaves you with higher-than-healthy calcium levels, which significantly increases the risk of crystals forming and developing into kidney stones.
In fact, research has shown that higher dietary sodium intake may increase kidney stone risk by up to 61%.
Limiting your sodium intake can significantly reduce your risk. Experts recommend consuming no more than 2,300 milligrams per day. Limiting processed foods, fast foods, and canned soups can make a real difference if you eat those things often.
These measures can go a long way toward kidney stone prevention, but if you start experiencing symptoms and need help fast, please reach out to Family Urology Associates. We fit in emergencies within 48 hours. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Haseeb, call us at 301-606-0551.
