"To prevent kidney stones, the first recommendation is a high fluid intake"

1. Are there foods that should not be eaten to avoid kidney stones?

Renal lithiasis (stones) are of different types, so in many cases, what is good for one type of lithiasis is not applicable to others. However, there are some general medicines that are applicable to all of them.

2. Which are?

These measures are basically:

– A high fluid intake, between 2.5-3 liters of fluid per day. This dilutes the urine, thereby reducing the formation of lithiasis.. In general it can be any liquid, not just water. However, it must be taken into account that some liquids can increase the elimination of substances that can favor lithogenesis.. Thus, alcoholic beverages or beverages with a high fructose content should be avoided, which increase the elimination of uric acid and favor the formation of uric lithiasis, or beverages such as tea or beverages rich in vitamin C that can increase the elimination of oxalate.

– The salt in the diet should be reduced, since an excessive consumption of salt can decrease the volume of urine and can also increase the urinary excretion of calcium, favoring the formation of calcium lithiasis.

– Dietary protein intake should be reduced, since excess protein increases the formation of body acids and through this pathway increases urinary calcium excretion.

– Calcium in the diet should not be reduced, since a normal calcium intake does not increase the formation of lithiasis and it has also been shown that low calcium intakes could increase the formation of stones through an increase in the intestinal absorption of calcium. oxalate. However, we should not consume calcium in excess either, mainly associated with high doses of vitamin D, since it can increase the urinary elimination of calcium.

– In the case of formation of calcium oxalate stones, the intake of foods rich in oxalate such as spinach, chard, beets, chocolate, dried fruits such as peanuts or walnuts, tea, …

– In patients with urate lithiasis, the intake of foods rich in uric acid such as red meat, organ meats, shellfish and beverages with a high fructose content should be reduced.. In addition, the use of urinary alkalinizers, such as sodium bicarbonate, favors the solubility of uric acid in the urine and reduces the formation of uric acid stones.

– The urinary elimination of citrate decreases the formation of lithiasis, so in patients with hypocitraturia it would be advisable to supplement it. Vitamin C should not be used as a supplement, because although it increases the elimination of citrate, it also increases the urinary elimination of oxalate.

– There are other types of lithiasis (cystine, ammonium phosphate) that are associated with genetic defects or urinary tract infections and that have a specific treatment.

3. Is there a complete diet recommended to prevent them?

No, only apply the dietary recommendations described above

4. Is there also a detox program?

There is no detox program. Once the stones are formed, it is practically impossible to dissolve them, except in some cases of pure uric acid lithiasis that could be dissolved with Sodium Bicarbonate.. The only solution in its spontaneous expulsion or interventional treatments with lithotripsy, laser or surgery.

5. Can kidney stones be eliminated naturally, consuming enough fluids?

The elimination of the stones is generally natural but causing a picture of nephritic colic. There is no way to undo them except as described above for uric acid. A high fluid intake is very useful in prevention, although it can also help to expel it during an acute episode of renal colic.

6. Is it true that beer can help reduce the risk of producing them or expel them?

Beer does not reduce the risk of producing them, on the contrary, it can increase the risk if it is with alcohol because it increases the production of uric acid and in general because it increases the elimination of oxalate.. It can only have a beneficial effect through high fluid intake, but there are better fluids for it.

8. Once you have had a stone or the propensity to produce them is detected, is it necessary to take a certain diet more severe than the one required to prevent them? what is it?

When a patient has had urinary stones, the ideal is to be able to analyze them and go to the Nephrologist to perform a metabolic study.

When a patient has had urinary stones, the ideal is to analyze them and go to the nephrologist to perform a metabolic study in which it is analyzed if there is any disease that favors it and the composition of the urine. With this we can see what is the element that could influence the formation of stones and depending on what it is, we can make a type of diet or another. As general measures for all the high fluid intake, the decrease of salt and protein intake would be useful in practically all of them.