Description
Kidney stones are an exceptionally painful disorder of the urological system. This condition is nothing new in the human condition, as archeologists have discovered kidney stones in Egyptian mummies dated back more than 7000 years. Kidney stones cause millions of doctor and emergency room visits each year; however, most kidney stones are passed without medical help. Because of the extreme discomfort and pain caused by these stones, there has been much speculation regarding their cause and development. Some of this speculation has centered on the possibility that certain vitamins may contribute to the formation of kidney stones.
Causes
The development of kidney stones appears to run in families. People with a propensity to develop certain kidney disorders, urinary tract infections and other disorders of the metabolism have a greater chance of developing kidney stones. There is little evidence to support the notion that certain foods contribute to the development of kidney stones in people who are not already susceptible to forming stones. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, excess amounts (more than 400 units) of vitamin D can contribute to the formation of stones. It is unclear why vitamin D contributes to kidney stones, but according to the Vitamin D Council it may have something to do with a combination of high vitamin D supplementation combined with a low potassium, low magnesium diet. There are no studies showing any other vitamins contributing to the formation of kidney stones.
Considerations
At one time it was thought that high dose of vitamin C contributed to the formation of kidney stones. However, according to the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University and the National Institutes of Health, such fears appear to be unwarranted. On the positive side, studies reported in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (J Am Soc Nephrol. 1999 Apr;10(4):840-5) indicates that large doses of vitamin B6 may help to reduce the risk of kidney stone development in women.
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