Your kidneys probably aren’t an organ you think too much about—unless you’ve ever had a kidney stone. Kidney stones can be extremely painful. Some say that they’re even more excruciating than childbirth.
What even is a kidney stone? “Kidney stones form when certain substances in the urine become concentrated enough that they begin to form crystals. Over time, those crystals can grow into stones,” explains Dr. Graham Bobo, MD, a urologist with LCMC Health.
Dr. Shiv Patel, MD, a urologist with AAUrology, says that the most common type of kidney stone is calcium oxalate stones, which form when oxalate from foods like spinach, nuts and chocolate binds with calcium in the urine. There is another type of kidney stone, uric acid stones, that Dr. Patel says are most common in dehydrated people, those who eat a lot of animal protein or have conditions like gout or diabetes.
Related: A Nephrologist Says Kidney Trouble Can Show Up as a Change in How Your Food Tastes
“If I had to point to the single biggest common denominator across almost every stone type, it’s not drinking enough water. Concentrated urine is really what allows these minerals to crystallize in the first place,” Dr. Patel says.
While staying hydrated is key for kidney health, there’s one drink in particular that increases the risk of kidney stones when consumed in excess.
Related: Nephrologists Warn That Kidney Disease Is a ‘Silent Killer’—This Is the #1 Daily Habit That Causes Damage
Who Is Most Likely to Get Kidney Stones?
Some people are at higher risk for kidney stones than others. Both urologists say that men are more likely to get them than women, though this gap is narrowing. As with most other health conditions, Dr. Patel says that family history plays a role too; if a parent or sibling is prone to kidney stones, your risk is higher. “If you’ve had a kidney stone yourself, you’re also more likely to have another one in the future,” Dr. Bobo adds.
Where you live also impacts how likely you are to get kidney stones. “People living in hot, humid regions tend to run a higher risk simply because they lose more fluid through sweat and are more prone to being chronically under-hydrated,” Dr. Patel says.
As you likely expect, diet, lifestyle habits and having any underlying health conditions all play a role too. Both doctors say that obesity, diets high in sodium and animal protein and conditions like inflammatory bowel disease or gout can all contribute to stone formation.
As previously mentioned, not drinking enough water can also increase the risk of kidney stones. “People who don’t drink enough water, sweat heavily, exercise frequently or work in hot environments can be particularly susceptible,” Dr. Bobo says.
Related: The ‘Healthy’ Habit That’s Silently Damaging Your Kidneys
What Does a Kidney Stone Feel Like?
Contrary to what most people think, it’s possible to have a kidney stone and not even know it. Dr. Patel says that stones that stay in the kidney itself generally don’t have any symptoms and are only found incidentally on imaging for other issues.
It’s when kidney stones migrate to the bladder that they cause a great deal of pain. “[The pain] is often sudden, severe and comes in waves, usually starting in your back or side and sometimes moving down toward your groin as the stone travels. You may also have nausea or a persistent urge to urinate more often or more urgently than usual,” Dr. Patel says.
If you are experiencing fever or chills alongside this type of pain, Dr. Bobo says it’s important to see a doctor ASAP because it could mean the kidney is infected.
?SIGN UP for tips to stay healthy & fit with the top moves, clean eats, health trends & more delivered right to your inbox twice a week?
The Surprising Drink That Can Increase the Risk of Kidney Stones
As previously mentioned, staying hydrated is important for avoiding kidney stones. But what you drink matters. If you primarily drink iced tea instead of water, you could be putting yourself at risk for kidney stones.
“Black tea, which is the base of most iced tea, is relatively high in oxalate, and oxalate is one of the key building blocks of the most common type of kidney stone,” Dr. Patel explains. If you’re capping your iced tea intake at two glasses a day, then you’re in the clear. But if you’re drinking it excessively, he says this increases the risk of kidney stones. This is because drinking a lot of iced tea causes the oxalate to build up, which can lead to the formation of calcium oxalate stones.
Both urologists say that drinking sweetened or unsweetened iced tea in excess is associated with this risk. This is because it isn’t the sugar that can cause kidney stones; it’s the oxalate in the black tea itself.
While it’s important to be aware of the connection between iced tea and kidney stones, both doctors emphasize that this risk only exists when black tea is consumed excessively. In fact, many scientific studies show that drinking black tea in moderation can help decrease the risk of kidney stones.
One easy way to reduce your risk of kidney stones while enjoying your iced tea is to add lemon to your glass. Both doctors explain that this is because the citrate in lemon helps bind calcium in the urine, making it less available to combine with oxalate and form calcium oxalate crystals.
Besides iced tea, Dr. Patel says that grapefruit juice is another surprising drink that can increase the risk of kidney stones when consumed in excess. “Several large studies have linked regular grapefruit juice consumption to a meaningfully higher risk of kidney stones, for reasons we don’t fully understand,” he says.
As long as you have a balanced diet and aren’t consuming anything in excess, both doctors say you don’t have to worry about what you’re drinking giving you a kidney stone. It’s another clear example of how moderation is key.
Up Next:
Related: Doctors Say This Popular Cold-Season Supplement May Raise Your Kidney Stone Risk
Sources
Dr. Graham Bobo, MD, urologist with LCMC Health. Dr. Shiv Patel, MD, urologist with AAUrology. Liu, Y., Bi, S., Li, H., et al. (2022). Association between tea intake and hospitalized nephrolithiasis in Chinese adults: A case-control study. Frontiers in Nutrition. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2022.1014491. Barghouthy, Y. and Somani, B. K. (2021). Role of Citrus Fruit Juices in Prevention of Kidney Stone Disease (KSD): A Narrative Review. Nutrients. 13(11):4117.Hence then, the article about this drink could be silently raising your risk of kidney stones urologists warn was published today ( ) and is available on Parade ( Saudi Arabia ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( This Drink Could Be Silently Raising Your Risk of Kidney Stones, Urologists Warn )
Also on site :
- Dwayne Johnson and Oprah Winfrey gave $10 million to launch the People’s Fund of Maui for wildfire survivors
- Jeffrey Spence was convicted of murdering Kirby Carpenter in 2026 after his first trial ended in a hung jury; a judge sentenced him to life in prison
- ‘Fire Country’ Puts Bode’s Volunteer Firefighters to the Test — Don’t Miss INK’s Performance at Smokeys