Added sugar may increase the risk of kidney stones, study suggests

According to researchers, consuming meals with added sugars, such as soft drinks, ice cream, and cakes, may raise the chance of kidney stones by 40%. The study, which is published in Frontiers in Nutrition, evaluated epidemiological data from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), which covered 28,303 adult women and men from 2007 to 2018.

Lead author, Dr. Shan Yin said:

“Ours is the first study to report an association between added sugar consumption and kidney stones. It suggests that limiting added sugar intake may help to prevent the formation of kidney stones.”

The findings imply that restricting added sugar consumption may aid in preventing kidney stone development.

---

How was the study conducted?

Foods with added sugar must be consumed in moderation. (Image via Unsplash/ Afif Ramdhasuma)

The daily intake of added sugars for each participant was calculated based on their recall of the foods and beverages they had most recently consumed.

The researchers adjusted the probabilities of getting kidney stones each year throughout the experiment for a number of explanatory variables. Gender, age, race or ethnicity, relative income, BMI, HEI-2015 score, smoking status, and history of diabetes were some of these variables.

By taking these factors into account, the number of calories from added sugars was consistently and positively connected with kidney stone development, according to the research.

---

Relation between kidney stones and added sugar

Kidney stone may cause symptoms like stomach ache, nausea, etc. (Image via Pexels/ Andrea Piacquadio)

7% to 15% of the population in North America, 5% to 9% of the population in Europe, and 1% to 5% of the population in Asia are affected by kidney stones. Severe pain, nausea, vomiting, fever, chills, and bloody urine are some of the more typical symptoms.

The use of added sugar is known to be associated with a higher risk of kidney stone development. Hard mineral and salt deposits known as kidney stones can develop in the kidneys and cause excruciating sensations as they move through the urinary canal.

1) Increased Urinary Calcium Excretion

High consumption of added sugars, particularly fructose, can cause an increase in the amount of calcium that is excreted in the urine. Increased calcium levels in the urine can encourage kidney stone development.

2) Production of Oxalate

Some additional sugars can encourage the liver to create more oxalate, a chemical that can bind with calcium in the kidneys and result in kidney stone development.

It is advised to reduce added sugar intake. (Image via Unsplash/ Wan Salahuddin Wan Ismail)

3) Acidification of Urine

Drinks with added sugar and high-sugar diets can cause the urine to become acidic. Urinary acidity can increase the likelihood that uric acid and cystine stones will develop.

---

The processes underlying the association between increased added sugar intake and a higher risk of kidney stone development are not yet understood. The possibility that unidentified confounding factors may be responsible for this association cannot yet be ruled out because this was an uncontrolled observational trial.

Dr. Yin cautioned:

“Further studies are needed to explore the association between added sugar and various diseases or pathological conditions in detail.”

Reducing added sugar consumption may not be a bad idea, even though the study did not conclusively show that added sugar causes kidney stones per se. This may also help reduce risks for cardiovascular disease, cognitive problems, diabetes, obesity, and several malignancies.