Kidney Stone Prevention That Goes Beyond Drinking More Water

At Urology Specialists of Cypress, your urologist, Dr. James Stocks, emphasizes targeted kidney stone prevention strategies that go beyond drinking more water.

How much is "more water"?

While this blog focuses on reducing your kidney stone risk beyond drinking water, it's impossible to ignore the importance of water. Sure, you know you should drink "more," but how much? The American Urological Association recommends drinking enough water to produce 2.5 liters of urine daily.

The recent results of the PUSH study, in which participants followed a strict hydration schedule using smart water bottles, showed that the protocol helped them urinate more, which is good for passing kidney stones. However, it didn't have a notable effect on kidney stone development compared to people who went with other preventive approaches.

This has led many people to start looking beyond water for kidney stone prevention. Yes, water is important for proper whole-body function, but could there be other effective ways to help fight kidney stones? Here are a few that could help.

Optimize dietary calcium

If you have calcium kidney stones, you might think you should cut back on calcium. As strange as it sounds, you actually need to make sure you get enough calcium to prevent further calcium kidney stones. The National Kidney Foundation recommends 1,000-1,200mg of calcium daily.

When you get enough calcium, it binds with oxalate in the gut, and that helps prevent calcium-oxalate stones.

Dietary sources of calcium, like dairy, leafy greens, and fortified products, are a great way to get enough calcium.

Boost citrate with diet and supplements

Citrate binds with calcium and prevents calcium kidney stones from forming. It can also help prevent uric acid stones. Citrus fruits, lemon water, and potassium citrate supplements (when prescribed) are effective ways to increase urinary citrate.

Limit oxalate-rich foods

Foods such as spinach, nuts, tea, and chocolate are high in oxalate and can raise the risk of calcium-oxalate stones. Moderating these foods is often helpful, especially alongside other preventive measures.

Reduce sodium

High sodium intake increases urinary calcium. Limiting sodium can help reduce the likelihood of stone formation while having significant benefits for your whole-body health, like lower blood pressure.

Lower animal proteins

Because animal proteins are rich in purines, a substance that dissolves to become uric acid, they can cause uric acid stones and raise urine pH.

Consider medication

Medication can help with some types of kidney stones. For example, thiazide diuretics can lower urinary calcium, while allopurinol may help with uric acid stones. Medication options depend on your type of kidney stones and overall health.

Monitor and manage your metabolism

Obesity increases kidney stone risk through metabolic changes. Weight management and regular exercise can go a long way in kidney stone prevention. Dr. Stocks may also recommend a special diet, such as the DASH or Mediterranean approach, to support long-term prevention.

Avoid certain beverages

Cola and other drinks with phosphoric acid can raise kidney stone risk. Sparkling water and sugar-free options are generally safe alternatives.

24-hour urine collection

If you have recurrent kidney stones, Dr. Stocks may recommend more in-depth testing to definitively determine why. A 24-hour urine collection reveals urinary volume, pH, calcium, oxalate, citrate, uric acid levels, and other factors. This type of testing allows him to make even more personalized recommendations.

Through a strategy that blends diagnostics, diet, lifestyle changes, and when needed, medications, Dr. Stocks and our caring team can help you prevent kidney stones.

Sure, we'll probably tell you to drink more water, but our advice goes beyond that to encompass your whole life and help you become as proactive as possible about avoiding kidney stones.

Ready to learn more? Phone our office at 281-304-2521 to book an appointment.