Kidney Stones - Other Treatments

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Juices and Specific Effects. Other beverages have various positive or negative effects, depending on the type of stone:

• Lemon Juice. Drinking one-half cup of pure lemon juice (enough to make eight glasses of lemonade) every day raises citrate levels in the urine, which might protect against calcium stones. (While orange juice also increases citrate levels, it does not lower calcium and it raises oxalate levels. It is not recommended.)
• Cranberry and Apple Juice. Apple and cranberry juice contain oxalates, and both have been associated with a higher risk for risk for calcium oxalate stones. Cranberry juice has properties that may increase the risk for both calcium oxalate and uric acid stones. On the other hand, cranberry juice helps prevent urinary tract infections and so may be helpful for reducing the risk for struvite and brushite stones. (These stones are far less common, however.)
• Blackcurrant Juice. In one study, blackcurrant juice reduced acidity and was associated with protection against uric acid stones.
• Grapefruit Juice. A number of studies have found a risk for stones from drinking grapefruit juice. In one study, just one 8-ounce cup of grapefruit juice per day increased the risk for forming stones by 44%.

Other Beverages and Their Effects on Stone Formation.

• Soft Drinks. Cola can severely reduce citrate in the urine and should be avoided. Many soft drinks contain phosphoric acid, which increases the risk for stones. Some research shows that drinking one quart (less than three 12-ounce cans) of soda per week may increase a person's risk of developing stones by 15%.
• Alcohol. Wine may be protective against kidney stones. A study conducted in Finland, however, suggests that the risk of developing stones decreases with beer consumption. It should be noted that beer is high in oxalates. Beer and other alcoholic beverages also contain purines, which may increase the specific risk for the less common uric acid stones in susceptible people. Binge drinking, in any case, increases uric acid and the risk for stones
• Coffee and Tea. Some research as reported a lower risk for stones with tea and both regular and decaffeinated coffee.