If you suffer from calcium oxalate stones, then you're probably very careful about your diet. You've probably done the research into what foods contain high oxalate content and designed your diet around that. You may even have eliminated excess sugar and salt. But what may surprise you is the fact that protein consumption can also affect calcium oxalate stone growth.
As you know, protein diets have become popular over the last few years. Many people are on low carb, high protein diets. Some people are also on the paleo diet, which consists of a lot of meat consumption. With so many limitations that come with a diet designed to control calcium oxalate growth, you'd think that you'd be safe with healthy protein consumption.
The Protein Calcium Oxalate Link
We need protein to deal with hunger issues, repair our body, and even grow muscle. Protein is in almost all foods and most people try to ensure they get enough protein throughout kidney protein issue the day. But there is a protein calcium oxalate link.
When you consume protein, a waste product called urea is produced. This can cause a kidney protein issue. Your kidneys are responsible for removing the urea. If it doesn't function well, then a buildup of urea can occur. This tends to happen if you consume a high amount of protein in your diet.
With the , a different type of stone can form. There is a stone that can form due to uric acid. It can also bind to calcium to form a stone if too much of the urea builds up. Technically, this is different from calcium oxalate stones.
How to Manage Protein Consumption
If you're doing everything right but still dealing with irritating stones, then there may be a possibility that you're consuming too much protein. The first step is to figure out how much protein you should be consuming based on your sex, height, and weight. There are many calculators that will help you come up with a figure based on these factors.
Once you have your number, you should then evaluate how much protein you're eating throughout the day on average. You need to go beyond the meat that you're consuming. Protein can be found in plants, dairy, bread, beans, and nuts. If you're on a low carb, high protein diet, it should be fairly obvious what the problem is.
Finally, you need to figure out how to lower your protein intake if you're consuming too much on a daily basis. There are many foods that you can go with.
- Soups that contain low amounts of protein but contain a lot of flavor. The water content can help you stay full.
- Meals with healthy fats. Avocado can help you stay full due to the high fat content.
- A better balance of healthy carbs and protein such as pasta mixed with meat.
- Increased consumption of healthy grains, nuts, and seeds that are low in proteins.
To sum it up, protein can definitely be a factor when it comes to stones. It just comes down to balancing the amount of protein you're consuming and making sure that you're not going overboard.
