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Women Showing Increasing Incidence of Kidney Stones Diet Changes May be to Blame The growing popularity of high protein diets to promote weight loss may be causing an unexpected and not too pleasant side effect -- a higher incidence of kidney stones in women. Once considered primarily a male malady, a recent Japanese study suggests that the gap between the incidence of stones in men and women may be narrowing. The study reports that in 1995, men had kidney stones twice as often as women, while back in 1965, men had stones three times more often than women. According to the National Kidney Foundation, there is a well-known connection between kidney stones and heavy consumption of animal protein, including meat, fish, poultry and eggs. The incidence of kidney stones is greatest in countries where large amounts of animal protein are consumed. Diets high in animal protein may increase the risk of stones by causing calcium to be pulled out of the bones. As a result, more calcium eventually winds up in the urine, where it may trigger the formation of calcium stones. About 80 percent of kidney stones are made up of crystals of calcium oxalate or calcium phosphate. Animal protein also reduces the production of urinary citrate, which is a natural inhibitor of calcium stones. Current recommendations are to eat less than six ounces of meat or fish a day and include plenty of vegetables and fruits in the diet. However, people who have a history of calcium oxalate stones may need to be a bit careful about the type of fruits and vegetables they choose. Certain fruits and vegetables and other foods such as chocolate contain large amounts of the compound oxalate, which can aggravate the tendency to form calcium oxalate stones. Oxalates are particularly high in spinach, rhubarb, beets, strawberries, nuts and nut butters. Oxalates are also a by-product of vitamin C metabolism, and people who tend to form calcium oxalate stones are advised to limit vitamin C supplement to 500 mg a day. People who get calcium stones often ask if they need to limit calcium in their diets. In many instances, increasing dietary calcium may actually help to forestall stone formation. Too low a level of calcium in the blood can cause calcium to be pulled from the bones, which leads to more calcium in the urine and an increased risk of stone formation. In addition, this can increase the likelihood of bone disease in women. The daily calcium requirement for women aged 25 to 65 is 1000 to 1200 mg. Women over 65 who are not receiving estrogen replacement therapy need between 1200 and 1500 mg of calcium daily. Most experts say calcium supplements are safe as long as they are taken with meals and do not exceed 2000 mg a day. However, supplements taken in one large dose can actually increase the risk of calcium stones. Individuals who have a history of calcium stones should always check with their doctors about the amount of calcium that is best for them. Other recommendations to help prevent stones are to cut back on salt, eat lots of fruit and vegetables and drink plenty of water. High dietary intake of sodium and sugar, a decrease in fruit and vegetable consumption and obesity are all seen as contributing factors to the rise in kidney stones.
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