Lemon Aid for Kidneys
By admin | April 29, 2007
While kidney stones sufferers should increase their fluid intake in general, lemon juice in particular could reduce the risk of recurrence. There are several different kinds of kidney stones, and a low level of citrate in the urine increases the risk for two common types: calcium-oxalate and uric-acid stones. If you’ve had one of these kinds of stones, your doctor may prescribe potassium citrate to raise your citrate level.
In addition, or instead, you should eat lemons, which are rich in citrate, or drink lemonade. Citrate binds to calcium in the urine, preventing the formation of crystals that can develop into kidney stones. It also affects the acid-base balance of the urine, which plays a role in stone formation.
Lemons contain almost five times more citrate than oranges. Half a cup of pure lemon juice provides the amount of citrate your doctor is likely to prescribe. In one study, most people with stones who drank eight gasses of lemonade a day (containing 100 ml of reconstituted lemon juice, in total) ended up with normal levels of citrate in their urine after six days. This should help prevent stone recurrence.
If you’re worried about the calories, use a sugar substitute to sweeten your lemonade, or buy artificially sweetened lemonade. Just make sure it contains real lemon juice (or citric acid).
Tags:kidney stones kidneys lemon juice lemonade lemons
Topics: Health |