Recent Research on Nutrition and Kidney Stones

There have been many studies on the role of nutrition in helping to reduce kidney stones.  A recent study conducted Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School found that previous recommendations to limit dairy products in an effort to reduce the risk of kidney stones was misguided.  This study conducted on more than 90,000 women, showed "that women with the highest intake of dietary calcium had the lowest risk of kidney stones."

Researchers have theorized that this is happening because "calcium is believed to neutralize the absorption of oxalate, a substance that is present in foods such as spinach and beets which has been linked to kidney stone formation."

It is very important to note that the reduced risk of kidney stones was not found for those who took calcium supplements. For those taking calcium supplement the risk of kidney stones increased slightly. Researcher theorized that this happens "because supplements are often not taken in conjunction with meals, limiting the calcium’s ability to neutralize the absorption of oxalate."  This is one of the many reasons why I used diet I to increase my calcium intake, and avoid supplements.

For kidney stones the research suggests that the following foods are appropriate either for avoiding or eating.  As always, check with your doctor and have appropriate blood work done before following any of the research suggestions from this or other sources. The recipes for including these foods in your diet and the research supporting these recommendations are included in my 4 books.