Friday, March 8, 2024
HomeHealthCan Too Much Protein Cause Kidney Stones

Can Too Much Protein Cause Kidney Stones

Easy Ways To Prevent Kidney Stones

Does A High Protein Diet Cause Kidney Damage or Stones (Clinical Evidence Included)

Did you know that one in ten people will have a kidney stone over the course of a lifetime? Recent studies have shown that kidney stone rates are on the rise across the country. Those in the know believe that some major misconceptions may be the culprit.

The National Kidney Foundation has teamed up with Dr. Allan Jhagroo, a kidney stone specialist at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, to help you stay stone-free by debunking some of the major kidney stone myths and misconceptions.

Read Also: Can Seltzer Water Cause Kidney Stones

Should I Cut Out All Foods That Have Oxalate Or Calcium

No, this is a common mistake. Some people think that cutting out all foods that have oxalate or all foods with calcium will keep stones from forming. However, this approach is not healthy. It can lead to poor nutrition and can cause other health problems. A better plan? Eat and drink calcium and oxalate-rich foods together during a meal. Doing this helps oxalate and calcium bind to one another in the stomach and intestines before reaching the kidneys, making it less likely for kidney stones to form in the urine.

Plan Your Plate For Kidney Stones

What Foods Are Rich In Protein

Except for isolated fats and sugars, almost every food contains protein.

Among these, those with the highest protein density are predominantly animal foods.

While animal foods tend to be the best sources of protein, a few plant foods can be high in the macronutrient too .

The following foods are the most concentrated sources of dietary protein

  • Beans

Key Point:

Don’t Miss: Can Pop Cause Kidney Stones

Question: Does Creatine Cause Kidney Stones

Years ago, I had occurrences of kidney stones made specifically of calcium oxalate. I have read warnings against creatine for those with kidney disease. Kidney stones are not usually called kidney disease. I am considering using creatine, but I am not sure if it would cause a problem. Are there any reports of increased kidney stone activity in users of the creatine supplement?

Does A High Protein Diet Have Any Benefits

Can Too Much Protein Cause Kidney Damage?

Rather than focusing on the potential harms of a high protein intake, its worth considering the health benefits too.

There is evidence that higher protein consumption can lead to a range of positive effects.

Here are three of the most important

  • Protein increases lean body mass, which is associated with better metabolic health .
  • As the most satiating macronutrient calorie-for-calorie, protein reduces appetite and food cravings, and therefore leads to healthier eating behaviors .
  • Protein is important for bone health and protecting against loss of bone mass. This is particularly true as we age and the rate of muscle protein synthesis falls .

Key Point:

Also Check: Wine And Kidney Stones

Can Too Much Whey Protein Cause Kidney Stones

The University of Connecticut did a study called Dietary Protein Intake and Renal Function, which found that persons with healthy kidneys who consume a lot of whey protein shouldnt be concerned.

According to the study, recent research on high-protein diets for weight reduction and athletics has revealed no harmful effects on renal function. According to the studys findings, no indication increased protein intake causes kidney injury or functioning.

What Are The Facts About Herbal Supplements

The following facts about herbal supplements are true for everyone, with or without kidney disease. Herbal supplements often have more than one name: a common name and a plant name. Some common concerns include:

  • The Food and Drug Administration does not regulate herbal supplements for dose, content, or pureness.
  • Some herbal supplements have aristolochic acid, which is harmful to kidneys.
  • Herbal supplements made in other countries may have heavy metals.
  • There are few studies to show if herbal supplements have real benefits and even less information in patients with kidney disease.
  • Herbal supplements may interact with prescription medicines to either decrease or increase how the medicine works.

You May Like: Is Mulberry Good For Kidneys

Read Also: Almond Milk Good For Kidneys

Does A Vegan Diet Cause Kidney Stones

There is ample medical evidence to assure you, and Liam, that maintaining a vegan diet with a few modifications is actually the best plan to avoid a first, or recurrent, kidney stone of any kind.

In studies done over 20 years ago examining the rise in kidney stones requiring therapy, increasing animal protein consumption from meat, fish, and poultry coupled with a decrease in fiber intake, the hallmarks of the Western diet, were to blame. A more recent study looked at the risk of kidney stones with various kinds of animal protein. Beef, fish, and chicken were all judged to raise the risk of forming stones, and limiting these foods was advised. Finally, a study from Europen that included 50,000 subjects found that vegetarians had a lower risk of kidney stones than meat-eaters.

What about the oxalates that Hemsworth indicated where high in plant foods? In a recent review article on the risk of kidney stones and diet as found in vegetarians and vegans, the researchers warned against high intake of animal protein and recommended balanced vegetarian diets.

How Can You Protect Your Kidneys And Lose Weight Too

Does Taking Too Much Calcium (Hypercalcemia) Lead to Kidney Stones? Dr.Berg

For weight loss that wont compromise your kidneys, its all about balance.

Dont get your calories from one source combine protein with more fruits and vegetables, Dr. Calle recommends. If you dont have any major medical conditions, the most effective diet is usually decreasing the amount of calories you consume and eating a more balanced, low-sodium diet.

Andbuyer beware when it comes to the healthfadsthat show up on social media. Your favorite Instagram celebrity may lookamazing after following some new grapefruit shake diet, but stick with yourdoctor, nutritionist or dietitian for reliable eating advice.

Recommended Reading: Is Ginger Good For Kidneys

Kidney Stone Dietprotein Calculator

Calculating your daily protein requirement is simple! Just enter your weight in lbs below and the Kidney Stone Diet Protein Calculator will handle the rest!

Since food labels show protein in grams, the easiest way to figure out how much MEAT protein to have is by using the equation below. My patients get overwhelmed because we are using grams and kilograms in our equation, but dont worry, I will break it down for you step-by-step.

To calculate how much meat protein is right for you, use this equation:0.8 to 1.0 gm/kg/d.

I will use my weight as an example and then you can plug in yours:My weight is 122 lbs.

After I convert my weight in pounds to kilograms I weigh 55.4 kg.

I got this number by dividing 122 lbs by 2.2

Therefore, if I were to eat on the low end of the equation it would look like this:0.8 x 55.4 = 44.32 grams of protein a day.

If I wanted to eat on the upper end of the equation it would look like this:1.0 x 55.4 = 55.4 grams of protein a day.

Based upon the equation above I can eat anywhere between 44.3 grams 55.4 grams of meat protein per day. If I search how many grams are in 3 ounces of chicken I find this answer:There are about 7 g of protein in 1 ounce of cooked meat. So, for example, 4 ounces of raw boneless skinless chicken breast yields about 3 ounces of cooked chicken or 21 g of protein.

You can see how quickly grams of meat protein add up.

Need help putting all the elements of the kidney stone prevention lifestyle in place?

Does Protein Itself Raise Urine Calcium

Four studies appear to fit the needs for data in that they are trials of protein loading in a rather pure form, using foods and with considerable care for total nutrition. Of these, one used alkali to offset the protein acid load. The points taken from these additional reports are here.

The Fenton data are in a faded blue, for visual contrast. The protein load studies are in red. The pentagon and diamond are protein load +KCl and the same protein load + K Citrate in a single trial.

In these trials, protein intake was varied over a two fold range, mostly from about 1 to about 2 gm/kg/day.

More or less the data fall on the Fenton plot.

In the one special trial it is obvious that the K Citrate lowered the change in NAE without affecting the change in urine calcium. So it is possible to dissociate a protein effect from its acid base effect within the controlled environment of a trial. Given the modest quantitative changes in NAE it is possible that natural variability of urine calcium excretion might have permitted apparent stability despite the lack of a change in NAE in one point and a significant increase of NAE in the other, but the statistical testing is based on the observed variability and gave a low probability from chance alone.

Essentially the trial of diamonds and pentagons tells us that protein itself has a renal effect on calcium handling.

Also Check: Acv For Kidneys

What To Eat To Prevent Kidney Stones

Passing a kidney stone is excruciating! Here are some tips to reduce the chances that youll ever have to endure that pain or relive past misery

  • Print

As anyone who has ever had one can attest, passing a kidney stone is something youre not likely to forget … or remember fondly. Although dietary measures are not 100% effective in preventing stones, they can definitely reduce your risk.

Protein And Body Weight Reduction

Can Whey Protein Cause Kidney Stones?

Clients seeking weight loss frequently choose a low-carb, high-protein diet. When people are successful, they often believe that the lack of carbohydrates in their daily calories is the reason for their success. Meeting the proper protein needs, on the other hand, has two advantages. The first is that protein ingestion suppresses the appetite of the customer.

Protein calories take longer to break down than carbohydrate and fat calories. As a result, when clients consume a diet rich in high-quality proteins, they will feel fuller for longer. The term spontaneous reduction in calorie intake refers to this type of hunger decrease. All it implies for your customer is that they will feel satisfied for longer, making them less likely to eat and snack at inappropriate times.

Protein is required for the maintenance and increase of lean mass, as previously stated. Because muscle consumes more calories than fat to survive, clients with more muscular tissue have a greater resting metabolic rate. More calories are expended each day when your resting metabolic rate is greater. More calories burnt equals more weight lost, according to basic weight reduction principles. This is the second reason why daily protein consumption is critical for body fat loss.

You probably already know some of this, but youll need to be able to persuade your customers and anyone who seeks fitness and nutrition guidance from you. Explain why its critical to get enough high-quality protein:

Also Check: Celery Juice Kidney

Who Gets Kidney Stones

About 1 in 10 people will experience a kidney stone at some point during their lifetime, and men are about twice as likely as women. Kidney stones generally occur after age 30, although its possible for a younger person to have one as well. Once youve had a kidney stone, youre at a significantly higher risk for future stones.

The tendency to form kidney stones tends to run in families, so if your parents or siblings have had stones, you may be at increased risk. Whether or not you have a family history of stones, though, certain dietary habits can increase or reduce your risk.

High Protein Diet Brings Risk Of Kidney Stones

Diets heavy on foods that are high in protein and low in carbohydrates can increase the risk of kidney stones and reduce the body’s ability to absorb calcium after just six weeks.

These findings from a new study come at a time when an increasing number of Americans, seduced by anecdotal accounts of fast weight loss, are turning to low carbohydrate, high protein diets. Popularised by Dr Robert Atkins, these diets are having a revival after a recent cover story in the New York Times Magazine said that relying on diets heavy in carbohydrates and low fat products has caused people to hold on to fat, explaining a rising incidence of obesity and perhaps diabetes.

Although low carbohydrate, high protein diets result in weight loss in the short term, they are less successful in the long term and may even be hazardous to health, researchers have warned. Protein rich foods can be high in fat, which increases the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Diets heavy in foods with low levels of carbohydrate, such as fruit and vegetables, can also leave the body hungry for essential vitamins and minerals, and insufficient glucose from carbohydrates, the body’s preferred fuel source, can lead to fatigue and dizziness .

Although it is not clear from the study whether bone mass was affected, the findings show that such diets may increase the risk of bone loss over the long term.

BMJ Publishing Group

Recommended Reading: Can Kidney Infection Cause Diarrhea

Common Symptoms Of Kidney Stones

Some people can have kidney stones with no symptoms and pass it with ease, maybe never even have realized it was happening. Other people will experience intense pain in the side, back, or groin, nausea and vomiting, and pain when urinating. Burning when you pee, as well as cloudy red or pink urine, can also indicate that you have a kidney stone. If you do experience these symptoms you should reach out to your doctor immediately for the next steps on diagnosis and treatment.

Read: Are You Unwittingly Letting Food Poisoning Happen To You

Can Protein Harm Your Kidneys and Liver? Dr.Berg on Protein Side Effects

HOW KIDNEY STONES ARE FORMED

Its no thanks to the high levels of minerals in your body. Think of kidney stones formation this way: If you dont add enough water when stirring a cup of Milo, youll end up with hard lumps in your drink.

The same thing happens in your kidneys when you dont drink enough water.

Kidney stones are quite common. About one in 10 Singaporeans will get kidney stones. It is slightly more common in males than females, said Dr Tan.

As for what causes the stones, it is largely determined by what you put or dont put enough of into your body. The common ones, according to Mayo Clinic, are:

Calcium stones: This is the most common type of kidney stones, and are often in the form of calcium oxalate oxalate is a chemical that occurs naturally in certain vegetables.

Calcium stones can also be made of calcium phosphate, which is common in metabolic conditions, such as renal tubular acidosis.

It may also be associated with certain migraine headaches or taking certain seizure medications such as topiramate, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Struvite stones: These usually form in individuals with urinary tract infections sometimes, with little warning.

The stones can grow quickly and become quite large, though there may not be signs.

Uric acid stones: As the name implies, these stones are caused by an accumulation of uric acid.

It typically happens in people who dont drink enough fluids, and those who eat a high-protein diet or have gout.

Recommended Reading: Ginger Good For Kidney

Creatine Is It Worth The Risk

  • Nancy Ling, RD
  • Competitor Magazine

Creatines first documented use was in the Soviet Union during the 1960s, when a professor of exercise biochemistry researched creatine supplementation in elite athletes. His experiments were thought to have played a role in the Soviet Unions unprecedented success in power lifting, wrestling and gymnastics in the Olympic Games from 1964 to 1994.

Creatine is an amino acid derivative found naturally in the body. Concentrated in the muscle, it is produced by the body from amino acids and is consumed in meat and fish. It functions as an essential part of muscle contraction.

Athletes and body builders take creatine supplements to try to increase the pool of creatine in muscle, so the muscles can work harder and recover faster.

Does creatine work?

Many studies have been performed to determine the effectiveness of creatine supplementation in athletes. It has been shown to improve performance in bicycling sprints and weightlifting. Studies involving bicycle sprints found that creatine supplementation increases in total work performed. Most studies evaluating weightlifting or specific muscle group activities suggest that taking creatine helps increase lifting strength.

There is no indication that use of creatine gives any benefit in sports such as running and swimming. Studies indicate that creatine does not enhance endurance.

How much is needed?

Drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration.

The Bottom Line On Creatine And The Kidneys

At the end of the day, the inception of this myth was caused by a poorly understood link between amino acids and the kidneys.

The perpetuation was likely due to the nature of there being a false positive, unnecessary prudence and caution, all topped off by the if its too good to be true, it usually is mentality ironically not paying attention to the usually in that saying.

Excluding some potential stomach ache and diarrhea that comes from taking too much creatine at once, usually with inadequate fluids, there are no proven or well established harms of this dietary supplement.

In other words, a mountain of evidence shows that taking creatine isnt going to damage your kidneys as long as youre otherwise healthy. And it probably wont hurt your kidneys even if youre unhealthy.

If you liked this article, please share it on , , or wherever you like to hang out online!

Dont Miss: How Kidney Stone Is Removed By Laser

Read Also: Is Ginger Good For Your Kidneys

There Are A Number Of Reasons To Treat A Kidney Stone Even If It Is Not Causing Any Painful Symptoms

Recurring urinary tract infections

Some kidney stones may be infected, and in many cases, despite proper antibiotic treatment, the infection cannot be cleared from the stone. In such cases, the only way to remove the infection completely is to remove the stone.

Staghorn stones

These are extremely large stones that grow to fill the inside of the kidney. There are serious health risks associated with these stones, and left untreated they are associated with an increased risk of kidney failure.

Occupational requirements

For example, the Federal Aviation Administration will not allow a pilot to fly until all stones have been cleared from his or her kidney. Other occupations also do not allow for the unplanned passage of a kidney stone.

Extensive travel

The patient who, whether for business or otherwise, travels to locales where medical care is not reliable may wish to consider preventive treatment.

Patient preference

After thorough consideration of all options available to them, many patients elect to remove their stones at a time when it is convenient for them.

RELATED ARTICLES

Most Popular