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A new review pinpoints five evidence-backed ways to prevent kidney stones.Those prone to stones are likely to experience recurrence, so these tactics are important.Some are as simple as dietary changes, and others are prescription-based.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019ve never experienced kidney stone pain, you\u2019ve probably heard enough to know that it\u2019s not fun. Not to mention, the stones are a risk factor for long-term kidney disease.<\/a> The good news is, there\u2019s quite a bit of research on their treatment and prevention, and scientists analyzed a large group of past studies to find a combination of factors they say prevent kidney stones.<\/p>\n Meet the experts: Daniel Marchalik, M.D., F.A.C.S.<\/a>, a urologist at MedStar Health; and Jason Fung, M.D.<\/a>, a nephrologist and disease prevention specialist.<\/p>\n There are different types of kidney stones, but the most common are calcium phosphate and calcium oxalate kidney stones, according to the National Kidney Foundation<\/a>. Both are solid masses that form in the kidney when there are high levels of the minerals calcium, oxalate, or phosphate in urine, and there\u2019s not enough urine or other elements to prevent them from forming.<\/p>\n \u201cKidney stones affect roughly one in 10 Americans, and incidence has been rising for decades,\u201d says Daniel Marchalik, M.D., F.A.C.S.<\/a>, a urologist at MedStar Health. \u201cThey are significantly more common in patients with a personal or family history of stones. Stones may cause extreme pain, but more importantly, they may lead to urinary obstruction, which may cause lasting or even permanent damage to the kidney and increase the risk of sepsis if not treated promptly.\u201d Recurrence of kidney stones is common, Dr. Marchalik says, which is why it\u2019s important for those prone to stay vigilant about prevention.<\/p>\n Below are the strategies that were proven to work, per the recent review published in Annals of Internal Medicine<\/a>. Before trying anything yourself, be sure to consult your physician.<\/p>\n How to prevent kidney stones, according to the latest research<\/p>\n \u201cEach intervention targets a different part of the stone-forming process,\u201d says Dr. Marchalik.<\/p>\n Hydration<\/p>\n Stones form when minerals in urine become concentrated enough to crystallize, explains Dr. Marchalik. More water keeps that concentration below the threshold needed to form stones. The Kidney Foundation recommends drinking enough so you pee about 2\u00bd liters (or about 85 ounces) each day. That means aiming to drink about 100 fluid ounces (or 12 to 13 cups) of fluid daily.<\/p>\n A low-sodium, low-animal-protein, high-calcium diet<\/p>\n Higher protein diets<\/a> may increase the acidity of urine and make people more prone to stones, explains Jason Fung, M.D.<\/a>, a nephrologist and disease prevention specialist. However, the findings hone in on prioritizing animal protein because it \u201craises uric acid and suppresses citrate in the urine, which naturally inhibits stone formation,\u201d says Dr. Marchalik.<\/p>\n On the topic of sodium, too much of it causes the kidneys to excrete more calcium, which is the primary raw material for stones, adds Dr. Marchalik. That\u2019s not to say patients should skip dietary calcium altogether, though. In fact, average to high calcium intake is recommended for kidney stone prevention, which can be a bit confusing. \u201cCounterintuitively, restricting dietary calcium makes things worse, because when there isn\u2019t enough calcium in the gut to bind oxalate, oxalate ends up in the kidney and leads to more stone formation,\u201d Dr. Marchalik explains.<\/p>\n Put differently, according to the Kidney Foundation, dietary calcium helps lower how much oxalate gets absorbed from the healthy foods you eat. The foundation recommends getting 1,000 to 1,200 milligrams of calcium per day, which may look like two to three servings of dairy daily with meals.<\/p>\n Alkali therapy<\/p>\n Oral alkali therapy, most commonly in the form of potassium citrate tablets, says Dr. Marchalik, helps to raise urinary pH levels and increase citrate directly, restoring acidic balance to the body. This treatment showed 333 fewer recurrences per 1,000 patients across four trials reviewed by scientists. Treatment with lemon juice had a more modest effect and also showed a small increase in adverse events.<\/p>\n Diuretics<\/p>\n Thiazide diuretics\u2014a medication that makes you pee\u2014can reduce how much calcium the kidneys excrete into urine by having the kidney reabsorb it instead, explains Dr. Marchalik. In the review, this therapy showed roughly 217 fewer stone recurrences per 1,000 patients across three trials.<\/p>\n Allopurinol<\/p>\n