What are kidney Stones?
Kidney stones are hard masses that form in the kidneys. These kidney stones can cause pain, which is often felt in the lower back and side.
Kidney stone disease is one of the most common disorders of the urinary tract. About 2 million people in the United States get kidney stones each year.
It happens when there is too much calcium in your urine. They can also be caused by a lack of water or by urinating less than usual. The minerals in urine become concentrated, which makes them more likely to stick together and form crystals—the first step toward forming a stone.
The problem with kidney stones is that they block the flow of urine out of your body, which causes swelling (called hydronephrosis) around one or both kidneys. This swelling puts pressure on nearby structures like nerves and blood vessels, sometimes causing pain or damage to other organs such as your bladder or urethra (the tube that carries urine from your bladder).
Vitamin C and Kidney Stones
Vitamin C is one of the most common vitamins in the world. It is a water-soluble vitamin that the body cannot produce, so it must be obtained from food sources. It is an antioxidant and plays a role in iron absorption. It also helps form collagen, which is essential for healthy skin, cartilage, tendons and ligaments. It’s also a powerful antioxidant and helps your body fight off colds.
But does vitamin C intake cause kidney stones?
It can.
Kidney stones are formed when minerals that are normally dissolved in urine crystallize into solid particles that then form crystals. Calcium oxalate is the most common type of stone, and it can be caused by too much calcium or not enough oxalate in your diet, which happens when you eat too little vitamin C.
Taking high doses of vitamin C supplements daily can increase the risk of developing kidney stones. The main mechanism by which this occurs is by increasing the amount of oxalate in urine, which can then form crystals that become trapped in the urinary tract, causing inflammation and often pain.
However, vitamin C can cause an imbalance in the acidity of urine. This can lead to increased calcium levels, which may cause kidney stones. Furthermore, vitamin C is water soluble, meaning that it is easily absorbed by the body but doesn’t remain long in its system. This means that taking too much of it could cause an imbalance of fluids and electrolytes throughout your body’s systems—including those found within your kidneys themselves!
According to National Kidney Foundation, people who are at high risk for kidney stone problem should not take more than the daily recommended allowance of Vitamin C which is 60mg as a supplement.
For kidney stone treatment in Phoenix, Chandler, and Gilbert, AZ, visit Desert Sky Urology
