Dietary Calcium Reduces Calcium Oxalate Stone Formation in Kidney!

Frequently we find many doctors eliminating dietary calcium intake levels to alarming low levels in cases of urinary stones, thinking that calcium is the main culprit in formation of renal stones! Knowing not that reduced dietary calcium intake may actually trigger calcium oxalate stone formation even further and spoiling the case, as not only low dietary calcium intake will trigger calcium oxalate stone formation but also it will affect bones joints muscles and other body physiology.

Unlike Supplimental calcium , Naturally occuring dietary calcium may actually reduce the risk of renal stone formation! But supplimental calcium is found to increase the risk.

Calcium Oxalate stones are the most common type of Renal stones found in 75% of all the cases of Renal Stones.

Naturally occuring Dietary Calcium binds with oxalate from food in gastro-intestinal tract to form Calcium Oxalate  in gastro-intestinal tract and thus reducing Oxalate absorption in blood and in turn reduces Oxalate concentration and excretion in urine thus reducing risk of forming renal stone. As Oxalate is 15 times more potent in forming renal stones compared to Calcium.

It is recomended to patients suffering from Calcium Oxalate stones that they should not reduce intake of calcium and maintain their regular recomended dietary intake of natural dietary calcium .

But not to take supplimental calcium as supplimental calcium tablets have shown to form calcium oxalate stone if taken for prolonged period of time.

For further reading and details on renal stones/urolithiasis/kidney stones click on the following link:

RENAL CALICULUS

RENAL CALICULUS /UROLITHIASIS/KIDNEY STONES / URINARY STONES

When solids and particulate metabolites or salts starts depositing at any level of urinary collecting system it forms renal stones or urolithiasis

Urolithiasis is more common in males than in females

Increased concentration in urine, of the constituents of stones is associated with stone formation.

1) Calcium Oxalate/Phosphate Stones comprises 75% of every stones.

Its observed that almost 50 % of cases of Calcium Stones that have idiopathic hypercalciuria and doesn’t have hypercalcemia.

10 % of cases calcium stone cases have both hypercalcemia and hypercalciurea

5% have Enteric(4.5%) or Primary (0.5%) hyperoxaluria

20% have hyperuricosuria

15-20% have unknown metabolic anomaly

2) Struvite Stones (Magnesium, Ammonia, Calcium, Phosphate) usually due to renal infections comprises off 10-15% of all stones.

3) Uric Acid Stones comprises 6% of all stobe cases 50% of which are associated with hyperuricosuria and/or hyperuricemia and 50% are of idiopathic origin.

4) Cystine Stone comprises only of 1-2% of all the cases

5) Other and unknown types of stones comprises of upto 10% of all the cases

An organic matrix of mucoprotien is present in all above all types of stones which acts as an additional binding matrix and it makes up almost 2.5 % of weight of all stones.

Renal caliculus, while selecting homoeopathic remedy for Kidney stones it is important to make note of all accompanying symptoms, like type of pain , character of urine, and if there are gravels in urine then its colour shape size should be noted, also other miasmatic and constitutional background should be evaluated for proper similimum remedy selection.

Risk factors

Increases Risk:

Dehydration, Low water intake, excess grapefruit or apple juice intake soft drinks containing phosphoric acid especially areated drinks.

Excess red meat consumption increases concerntration of certain sulfurous amino acids like cystiene and  methionine which acidifies urine , decreases citrate excretion through urine and increases excretion of calcium and uric acid through urine thus increasing risk of renal stones.

Calcium suppliment tablets and VitaminD suppliment for long term may cause Calcium Stones

Studies show that low dietary calcium promotes calcium stones:- Unlike supplimental calcium , Natural dietary calcium actually protects you against renal stones. As it binds with ingested oxalate from food in gastro-intestinal tract to form calcium oxalate and thus reducing its absorption and inturn reducing oxalate concentration in urine. Oxalate is 15 times more potent in forming renal stones compared to increased levels of calcium in urine.

Sodium and fluoridated water increases urinary excretion of calcium thus increases risk of stone formation.

Low urinary excretion of citrate

Decreases Risk:

Unlike supplimental calcium , Natural dietary calcium actually protects you against renal stones. As it binds with ingested oxalate from food in gastro-intestinal tract to form calcium oxalate and thus reducing its absorption and inturn reducing oxalate concentration in urine. Oxalate is 15 times more potent in forming renal stones compared to increased levels of calcium in urine

Studies show that low dietary calcium promotes calcium stones.

Magnesium inhibits stone formation.

Patassium promotes urinary excretion of citrate and citrate inhibits crystallisation of calcium and thus reduces risk of urinary calcium stones

Commonly Used Homoeopathic Remedies For Renal Caliculus

Renal caliculus, while selecting homoeopathic remedy for Kidney stones it is important to make note of all accompanying symptoms, like type of pain , character of urine, and if there are gravels in urine then its colour shape size should be noted, also other miasmatic and constitutional background should be evaluated for proper similimum remedy selection.

1. Berberries Vulgaris sensation of retention of urine and urge to pass it again soon after passing, patient is thirstless, bright red mealy sediments, bubbling sore sensation in renal region, pain in urinary bladder region, pain radiating from lumbar region to pelvis and down to lower limbs while passing urine, burning in urethra even when patient is not passing urine, feequent micturation, well indicated in patients with renal caliculus with gouty diathesis and elevated uric acid levels and urate crystals in urine. Works well in patients having  glomerulonephritis along with Renal Caliculus.
2. Hydrangea Arborescens white amorphous salt in urine giving urine a turbid colour,  white amorphous salt in urine deposits in form of gravel. Sharp pain in loins especially in left side with unquenchable thirst for large quantity  water, unlike berberries vulgaris which has thirstlessness. Well indicated in patients with enlarged prostate and also having Renal caliculus.
3. Cantheris In patients with bleeding due to renal stones, heamaturia and Nephritis, Intolerable constant urge to pass urine with paroxysmal acute cutting and burning from lumbar region to pelvis in front, urinary tract infection due to stone initially causing membranous scales giving appearance of bran in water when passed profuse urine and later on urine mixed with blood passes drop by drop  jelly like shreddy urine , membranous scales giving appearance of bran in water, infection of urethra due to damage by renal stone causing irritation in urethra increasing sexual desire.
4. Sarsaparilla Scanty slimy flaky sandy and bloody urine, gravels in urine that passes in thin stream, this medicine should be thought of when  sand-like gravels seen on daiper of children and they are cranky before and during passing urine, Kidney stones on right side.
5. Pareira Brava/ Condodendron Tormentosum great tenesmus while passing urine, constant urge to pass urine but has to strain much while passing has to bend down on his knees and press head on floor in front to pass urine causing pain to radiating till his thighs, Urine dribbles after micturating, pain in glans penis, renal stones in patient with gonorrhoeal urinary tract affections.
6. Borax Small red particles in urine and on daiper of child who cries while passing urine, hot smarting pain in urethra.
7. Solidago Redish brown thick sediment gravels with offensive albuminuria , pain in renal angle radiating forward and downwards towards abdomen and pelvis.
8. Silicea its a wonderful homoeopathy know for its ability to expel foreign particle from body, for which it is also termed as surgeons knife, Red or Yellow sedimentation prostorrhoea due to tenesmus in patients with retention of urine due to renal caliculus
9. Lycopodium  Heavy Red Sand Particle in urine, pain in right hypochondrium and right lumbar region , renal stones in old men with slow feeble urine with stangury, tenesmus and retention of urine.
10. Calcarea Carbonica Calcium oxalate crystals in urine, sour fetid smelling urine with dark brown colour and white sediments and haematuria.

For further reading and details on renal stones/urolithiasis/kidney stones click on the following link:

RENAL CALICULUS