Drinking Diet Soda May Reduce Risk Of Forming Kidney Stones
- Date:
- American Urological Association
- Summary:
- Patients with stone disease could benefit from drinking diet soda. New research suggests that the citrate and malate content in commonly consumed sodas may be sufficient to inhibit the development of calcium stones.
Patients with stone disease could benefit from drinking diet soda. New research from the University of California, San Francisco suggests that the citrate and malate content in commonly consumed sodas may be sufficient to inhibit the development of calcium stones.
Increased alkalinity is proven to augment citraturia, a known factor for calcium stones. Malate increases the amount of alkali delivered. Researchers measured the citrate and malate content of 15 popular diet sodas. The researchers found that Diet Sunkist Orange contained the greatest amount of total alkali and Diet 7-Up had the greatest amount of citrate as alkali.
This study by no means suggests that patients with recurrent kidney stones should trade in their water bottles for soda cans, said Anthony Y. Smith, MD, an AUA spokesman. However, this study suggests instead that patients with stone disease who do not drink soda may benefit from moderate consumption.
The study was presented at the 104th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Urological Association .
Story Source:
Other Causes Of Kidney Disease
Kidney disease is commonly caused by diabetes or high blood pressure. Drinking carbonated beverages can contribute to excess weight, which is a risk factor for developing Type 2 — adult-onset — diabetes, and indirectly, kidney disease. The American Kidney Fund notes that you can inherit a type of kidney disease called polycystic kidney disease. Drinking soda may increase the risk of related diseases such as diabetes consult your doctor or nutritionist about the best diet plan for you.
References
Whos Most Likely To Get Kidney Stones What Are The Risk Factors
White men in their 30s and 40s are most likely to get kidney stones. However, anyone can develop kidney stones.
There are several risk factors for developing kidney stones. These include:
- Not drinking enough liquids.
- Having a diet that includes the substances that form the stones .
- Having a family history of kidney stones.
- Having a blockage in your urinary tract.
Certain medical conditions can also increase your risk of developing stones. This is because they may increase or decrease levels of the substances that make up a kidney stone. These conditions can include:
- Hypercalciuria .
Certain foods can also place you at risk of a kidney stone. These foods include:
- Meats and poultry .
Dont Miss: Can Kidney Stones Cause Constipation Or Diarrhea
Also Check: Ginger Tea Dissolves Kidney Stones
Cola And Kidney Stones
Colas tend to be the darkest of the many soft drink options. Colas contain phosphoric acid, which has been linked with an increased incidence of kidney stones and kidney disease. Phosphoric acid is linked with kidney stones because it creates an acidic environment in your kidney tract. When your urine becomes too acidic, kidney stones are able to form more easily. For this reason, physicians like Dr. R. Lawrence Hatchett at Southern Illinois Urology recommend avoiding drinking dark sodas because of their potential to cause kidney stones 2.
- Colas tend to be the darkest of the many soft drink options.
- For this reason, physicians like Dr. R. Lawrence Hatchett at Southern Illinois Urology recommend avoiding drinking dark sodas because of their potential to cause kidney stones 2.
Is My Flavored Seltzer Bad For My Health
Pop, Fizz, oh what a gasPop the tab or unscrew the cap on your favorite carbonated beverage and you hear an instant pop and fizz. It tells your senses that a beverage is ready to enjoy, but there is science behind that distinctive sound. These drinks are mostly water with added carbonation, or CO2. The CO2 makes the pressure inside the can or bottle far greater than the outside air pressure, and the sound you hear is the initial pressure equalizing itself. C02 is added to soda, sparkling water and the very popular flavored seltzers, but be careful. That fizzing sound you hear may keep the drink from going flat, but the carbonation may be wreaking some havoc on your bladder, according to Shore Physicians Group Urologist Dr. Meredith Jankowski, a Penn affiliated surgeon.
The carbon dioxide that is used to give drinks their bubbles can be a real bladder irritant, just like caffeine, alcohol, and spicy food.
Healthier but not exactly healthyIn the last five years sales of carbonated, flavored sodas has declined while sales of flavored seltzers and sparkling waters has grown. According to Beverage Industry Magazine, sparkling water and seltzer sales have increased 15.8% over the past four years. Without the sugar and coloring, you might think seltzers and sparkling waters are the healthy choice over traditional soda.
I advise people to remember when they are drinking alcohol to also drink water so they remain hydrated.
Recommended Reading: Pomegranate Juice Good For Kidney Stones
The Sparkle Of Carbonated Water
Many consumers today are shying away from soft drinks because of legitimate concerns about their sugar or artificial sweetener content. Plain water is the ideal alternative, but a lot of people enjoy the palate tickling action of carbon dioxide bubbles and are looking towards plain carbonated water to satisfy their thirst. This has triggered questions about the safety of this beverage.
Naturally carbonated waters have long been believed to be healthy. Historically, people suffering from kidney stones, arthritis, and “lack of vigour” flocked to spas to partake of the waters. But if you couldn’t get to the source, you were out of luck. That is until Joseph Priestley came along. Priestley, who is best known as the discoverer of oxygen, although he never recognized it as an element, lived next to a brewery and was intrigued by the bubbles of carbon dioxide he saw rising in beer. This gave him the idea of artificially carbonating water.
Soda Causes Kidney Stones
MYTH BUSTED: While we are tempted to let you believe this one as Soda is a nutrient empty, sugar-laden drink, we must inform you this is NOT the case. The fact is phosphoric acid is the culprit that is an ingredient in SOME sodas, typically colas, and pepper sodas such as Coke or Dr. Pepper and Pepsi. The other issue with Soda is that it is a diuretic because of the caffeine. This makes the salt content in your urine rise, which promotes kidney stones. So have a soda, but also follow it with an equal amount of water and you will decrease that concentrate. Alternatively, you could avoid soda altogether and replace it with healthier alternatives.
Recommended Reading: Is Grape Juice Good For Kidney Stones
As Always Consult Your Physician
If you feel you may be suffering from kidney stone symptoms, your first course of action should always be to consult your physician. Dr. Cornell is a well-respected, board certified urologist serving the greater Houston area. Contact our office today to get a referral if you are suffering from urinary or kidney pain.
Myths About Kidney Stones
If youve ever gotten a kidney stone you know that its not like a nagging cough, it is quite painful and in extreme cases can even require surgery to correct. The rumors that people spread about what a kidney stone experience is like can be quite frightening but the fact is most of these rumors are just that rumors. Its important to know, however, if the what you are experiencing are actual kidney stone symptoms, or something else, for example, a urinary tract infection or sometimes just plain old indigestion. When you start buying into these myths that people spread about kidney stones, it can can cause you undue stress or worse, lead you to a treatment that will advance your problem not help it. This is why we want to debunk the top myths about kidney stones so you can better know kidney stone symptoms when you spot them. Keep in mind the main symptoms will be different for everyone but include pain when you urinate, nausea, frequent urination, fevers and cold chills, and pains that come in different intensities and fluctuate. Just because you have one of these symptoms or lack thereof, does not indicate you have kidney stones. For your healths sake dont believe the hype of these kidney stone and treatment myths:
Read Also: Do Multivitamins Cause Kidney Stones
Pain Originates In Your Lower Back Near Your Kidneys
MYTH BUSTED: When the pain hits, it will most often center a little below your abdomen after the stone journeys into the ureter. The ureter is funnel shaped but gets much narrower the closer you get to the bladder. A kidney stone is like getting a rock through a straw, thats why the pain is so intense. You have an organ that has so many nerve endings and when it is irritated the pain is excruciating. The stones begin to block the urine flow, causing urine to fill up in the kidney and descend. This then causes nausea and pain beyond your imagination.
Prevention Of Kidney Stones
In Australia, the chance of forming a kidney stone is becoming more common. It has been estimated there is a 1 in 12 chance you may develop a stone at some point in your life. This is a reflection of our hectic life, unbalanced work-life environment, fast food dietary habits, our genes and the climate around us. Everyone is different and attitude plays a big role in stone prevention. However, without changes being made, you have a 50% chance of developing another stone episode within 5 years. General measures in kidney stone prevention revolve around being well motivated to not having another stone, maintaining a healthy lifestyle and normal weight range, keeping up fluid intake, reducing animal protein intake and decreasing salt in the diet.
Don’t Miss: Seltzer Water Kidney Stones
Sugary Sodas Fruit Punches & Kidney Stone Risk
Its important to stay hydrated, but water may be your best choice, experts say
HealthDay Reporter
WEDNESDAY, May 15 Drinking large amounts of sugary sodas and fruit drinks might raise your odds for painful kidney stones, a new study finds.
Although drinking extra fluids usually helps prevent stones from forming, researchers from Brigham and Womens Hospital in Boston warn that beverages may come with varying risks or benefits. Coffee, tea and orange juice, for example, are associated with a lower risk of kidney stone formation.
On the other hand, we found that higher consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks was associated with a higher incidence of kidney stones, study senior author Dr. Gary Curhan, a physician in the Channing Division of Network Medicine, said in a hospital news release.
The study involved more than 194,000 people tracked for more than eight years. The participants were questioned about their medical history, lifestyle and medications. Information on their diet also was collected every four years.
The researchers found that those who drank one or more servings of sugar-sweetened soda daily had a 23 percent higher risk for kidney stones than those who drank less than one serving per week. The study showed that this also was true for those who drank sugary beverages other than soda, such as fruit punch.
Two experts said there are already many health reasons to avoid sugary drinks.
What You Should Do
A significant portion of Americans calories come from sodas and other soft drinks. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 recommends that all American consume fewer sodas and sugar-sweetened soft drinks or eliminate them altogether. If you or a close relative has a kidney-related health issues, talk to your doctor or dietitian about alternative beverages that can fit into your diet.
Recommended Reading: Is Miralax Safe For Kidney Disease
Drinking & Kidney Stones: Statistics
Thats not to say youre stuck with plain old water if you wish to drink a kidney-stone-safe diet. Individuals who drank a minimum of one cup of caffeinated coffee had a 26% lower risk decaf javaholics were 16% less likely to deal with stones and an everyday cup of tea slashed risk by 11%. Orange juice, though its high in fructose, also cuts risk by 12%, given that its also abundant in stone-mitigating potassium citrate.
Recommended Reading: What Laxative Is Safe For Kidneys
How Do Kidney Stones Form
Our kidneys are tasked with the responsibility of filtering toxins, waste, and excess fluid from the blood to form urine.
When the kidneys contain an excess of certain types of chemicals, such as uric acid, phosphorous, calcium, and oxalic acid, and not enough fluid to dilute them, these minerals and waste substances get concentrated enough to form crystals.
Your kidneys may simultaneously run low on certain substances that prevent these crystals from sticking together.
As a result, these clumps of waste material gradually grow in size to acquire the form of kidney stones.
The smaller stones are usually excreted without any medical intervention, rarely presenting any noticeable pain or symptoms. The larger ones, however, can get jammed in the narrow ureter and obstruct the natural flow of urine.
Given that your urinary tract is custom made for the passage of liquid matter, the expulsion of these solid rock-like masses can be mind-numbingly painful.
Don’t Miss: Reducose Weight Loss
The Kidney Stone/soda Connection
If youve had kidney stones, you know how painful they can be. Theyre also really common: its estimated that one out of 11 people in the United States have had a kidney stone. Kidney stones are hard masses that build up in the kidneys. Kidney stones can range in size from a grain of sand to that of a golf ball. Youre more likely to get kidney stones if you:
- Are a man
- Are between 20- and 60-years-old
- Have a family or personal history of stones
- Have a poor diet ,
- Have metabolic syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease , or frequent UTIs.
Does Soda Cause Kidney Stones
- Pin
Is this true? Can drinking soda cause kidney stones? Are dark sodas worse than others? Read on to learn everything you need to know about soda and kidney stones. And, what you should drink to prevent kidney stones.
*Please note that this post contains clearly identified affiliate links. If you click on these links and choose to make a purchase, I may receive a commission . As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Also Check: Blood In Kidneys Symptoms
Can Sprite Cause Kidney Stones
Spritestoneskidney stone
Higher consumption of sugar-sweetened soda was associated with a higher incidence of kidney stones, which may be because of the fructose content. Fructose has been shown to increase the urinary excretion of calcium , oxalate , and uric acid , thus increasing the risk of stones .
Likewise, does Soda help kidney stones? To keep kidney stones at bay, drink plenty of cool, clear water. A study cited by the American College of Physicians found that kidney stone patients who agreed to change their beverage habits and abstain from soda specifically colas acidified with phosphoric acid cut their risk of a recurrence by about 15 percent.
In this manner, what drinks cause kidney stones?
Avoid stone-forming foods: Beets, chocolate, spinach, rhubarb, tea, and most nuts are rich in oxalate, and colas are rich in phosphate, both of which can contribute to kidney stones. If you suffer from stones, your doctor may advise you to avoid these foods or to consume them in smaller amounts.
Can Coke Zero give you kidney stones?
We know that one of the many reasons people are prone to stone formation is that they have alow dietary alkali intake or a low urinary citrate. Those with the lowest levels of malate and citrate were Caffeine Free Diet Pepsi, Coke Zero, and Diet Coke with Lime. The colas didnt do as well, Dr.
Dont Miss: What Laxative Is Safe For Kidneys
Preventing Infection Or Struvite Stones
Your choice of urological surgeon and their skillset in treating complex stones is the most important factor here. Infection stones require complete stone clearance by minimally invasive surgical means. The prevention of these stones from recurring is best achieved by being vigilant against developing further urinary tract infections. Drinking plenty of fluids is helpful in this regard.
Don’t Miss: Does Red Wine Cause Kidney Stones
The Coke Treatment Is Useless
The featured image points to a widespread idea now on the web concerning how cola drinks might promote kidney stone passage. It has been called the Coke Treatment for Kidney Stones. Fluids are valuable for all stone formers, but the suggested usage may not be ideal and this post points out some of the drawbacks.
Small Amounts Is Best
If you have actually had kidney stones in the past, you are at increased risk for experiencing them once again. For that reason, taking dietary precautions against kidney stones may be necessary. While the Coca-Cola company indicates the comparatively low levels of phosphoric acid against other foods, the serving size is 100 mL, which is approximately 3.38 oz. Since a typical cola can include about 12 oz., the quantity of phosphoric acid can rapidly enhance. If you routinely drink numerous soda portions daily, you might be getting too much phosphoric acid in your everyday diet. Instead, practice small amounts when it pertains to enjoying soda pop soft drinks to lower the possibility kidney stones will form.
You May Like: Is Watermelon Good For Your Kidneys
You May Like: Is Honey Good For The Kidneys
Does Soda Pop Cause Kidney Stones
While some individuals are genetically predisposed to experience kidney stones, the foods you eat and drinks you drink can make kidney stones more likely to form. Not all types of soda contribute to kidney stones, however. Research from the University of California at San Francisco has discovered advantage in drinking diet citrus sodas.