Role of Salt Abuse on The Risk for Kidney Stone Formation

High dietary salt intake is one of the common reasons for kidney stone formation. A study conducted to assess the role of a salt diet on kidney stone formation reveals that a sodium rich diet has an effect on the crystallization of stone-forming salts in urine. The study performed to find the role of salt abuse on the risk for kidney stone formation found that those on high sodium intake reported a significant increase in urinary sodium, pH, and calcium and reduction in urinary citrate, total serum carbon dioxide, and arterialized venous blood bicarbonate.

Sodium Intake and Kidney Stone Formation

Dietary salt intake causes increased urinary calcium. This affects the tendency of crystallization of uric acid, calcium phosphate, and calcium oxalate. This proves that kidney stones are primarily the result of dietary sodium consumption. Excessive salt intake further poses an increased risk of hypertension, osteoporosis, kidney stones, kidney failure, stroke, and heart disease. Not only this, there is a greater risk of stomach and kidney cancer in people that use higher amount of sodium in their diet.It is thus recommended for people with a history of kidney stones to bring down their sodium intake to 1000-1500 mg daily. It will also help to increase your intake of fluid when you reduce your salt intake, since a low-salt diet is known to affect thirst.

Salt Intake Reduction for An Ideal Diet

The study found that subjects who reduced salt intake to almost 50 percent in five years were able to reduce the risk of kidney stone formation significantly.

Researchers conclude that in men with hypercalciuria and experiencing recurrent calcium oxalate stones, it is important to limit animal protein and salt in their diet to prevent the risk of kidney stone formation.All in all, it may help to restrict your intake of salt and animal protein, while raising consumption of fiber-rich diet. The dietary therapy can help people with hypercalciuria and others to prevent formation of kidney stones. Thus the study establishes a link between the role of salt abuse on the risk for kidney stone formation, stating that medical intervention may help if dietary therapy fails.However, it must be understood that there are many other factors that contribute to the formation of kidney stones, including various metabolic and nutritional factors. These may include hypercalciuria, hyperoxaluria, hypocitraturia, and low volume of urine. A more vegetarian diet rich in fiber, citrate, magnesium, potassium, with limited oxalic acid rich foods and salt is an ideal diet that will help prevent recurrence of kidney stone formation in most patients.