What should be the diet for the treatment and prevention of calcium oxalate kidney stones?

Question

Hello doctor,

I have 2 to 3 mm stones in both kidneys, my RBC count is 8 to 10 pus cells, 6 to 8 mild traces of albumin, and calcium oxalate crystals in urine. Apart from drinking 3 liters of water, what else should my diet be when concerned with oxalate intake?

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

You have developed a UTI (urinary tract infection), which seems to be secondary to renal stones. It has in turn resulted in proteinuria with traces of albumin. Have you been started on any antibiotics or tested for urine culture and sensitivity? If not done yet then get it done and your UTI needs to be treated. Regarding diet for calcium oxalate stones in addition to drinking enough water-

A) Take low protein, particularly animal protein.

B) Lower salt intake.

C) Avoid high intake of vitamin C-containing foods like citrus.

D) Restrict but not completely stop oxalate-rich foods like spinach, nuts, beets, rhubarb, potatoes, sesame seeds, cocoa, rice bran, rice flour, other kinds of bran, buckwheat groats, etc.

Dietary calcium need not be restricted much, in fact, preferably should be taken along with the above-mentioned oxalate-containing foods. Whenever taking combine them and get excreted in the urine. Review whenever required and be sure to get UTI treated also if stones continue to persist or recur. You need to be evaluated for certain gastrointestinal malabsorption disorders too.

Thank you.