Search Body Detox

Eliminate Kidney Stones with Lemonade

http://blog.drdavidwilliams.com/blog/digestive-health-guidance/eliminate-kidney-stones-with-lemonade

At this time of the year, many kids set up lemonade stands to make a little extra money—and to help people ward off the summer heat. But did you know that drinking a no sugar form of lemonade can also help to eliminate kidney stones?

It all started when researchers at Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Center in Oakland, California found that a potassium–magnesium citrate product could reduce the risk of kidney stone recurrence by 85 percent in people prone to them. Sixty-four people were divided into two groups. One group took a placebo; the other took the citrate product. After three years, only 13 percent of those using the citrate product had developed additional kidney stones, compared to 69 percent of those on the placebo.

What makes this research stand out is the fact that increasing urinary citrate appeared to reduce calcium excretion effectively, regardless of the metabolic profile of the patients. People have unique metabolic profiles that contribute to kidney stone development, so when it comes to kidney stones, this sort of “universal” treatment is rare indeed.

On the downside, some of the negative aspects to using the pharmaceutical citrate product were its cost, the number of tablets that had to be taken throughout the day, and the gastrointestinal upset that was a side effect.

Fortunately, there’s a less expensive and more pleasant way to enjoy the same results…

A while back, I learned about some very interesting research performed at the University of California in San Francisco. Twelve patients who were unable to tolerate any of the traditional pharmaceutical approaches (including the pharmaceutical citrate product) supplemented their diet with reconstituted lemon juice. It was the same lemon juice available in any grocery store.

They mixed four ounces of reconstituted juice (fresh lemon juice will not work) with enough water to make two liters of “lemonade” and drank it throughout each day.

The lemonade increased urinary citrate levels and lowered urinary calcium excretion, which is just what’s needed to prevent kidney stone formation. It did so without the negative side effects of the pharmaceutical citrate product. Another reason to stick with reconstituted lemon juice is that four ounces provides 5.9 grams of citrate, almost five times as much as orange juice, plus lemon juice is a well-tolerated form of citrate.

You may also be interested in:

Sugar May Cause Kidney Stones

Vitamin C for Gallstones