Melamine is a compound used in the synthesis of plastics and fertilizers. It is also a derivative of some chemotherapeutic drugs. In 2008, melamine became news with the occurrence of an outbreak of urinary stones in infants and children who...
A healthy and balanced diet should contain certain amounts of different minerals, including potassium, for your body to function properly. Potassium affects many different tissues in your body, and not getting enough can cause your blood pressure...
People with renal insufficiency are at high risk of vitamin D deficiency. A March 2010 article by Ishar Bhan appearing in the "Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology" found that 79 percent of the 1,908 patients studied were...
When your body metabolizes fructose, it does so in a way different from how it breaks down other sugars. The result is an increase in the chemical uric acid, which could have serious health consequences at high levels that could include obesity,...
Caffeine is naturally found in coffee and tea as well as chocolate. And it's added to sodas, energy drinks, pain relievers and other products, too. Though caffeine is generally harmless, it can negatively affect some people in the form of side...
As of 2011, diet soft drinks account for about 30 percent of the $70.1 billion U.S. soda market, according to the American Beverage Association. Many people drink them hoping to lose weight and therefore improve their health, but there is some...
Fruit nourishes you with fiber, minerals and vitamins, but some can be better than others for keeping your kidneys healthy. In general, look for fruit that's rich in antioxidants -- such as flavonoids and vitamins A, C and E -- and low in...
If you have polycystic kidney disease, the food you choose to eat may help slow progression of symptoms related to the disease, for which there is no cure. If you have the disease, you develop multiple cysts in your kidneys. These can enlarge your...
The National Institutes of Health says between 10 and 20 percent of Americans have fatty liver, or a buildup of fat cells growing in the organ. Fatty liver can result from drinking too much alcohol, but the surge in fatty liver conditions,...
High-fructose corn syrup is a common added sweetener, consumed in hundreds of processed food products from soft drinks to bread and snack goods. The evidence that the sweetener is linked to an increase in high blood pressure is mounting....
A lightening rod for controversy, high-fructose corn syrup is a commonly added sugar that processed food manufacturers use in soft drinks, snack goods, desserts and a host of other food products. The sweetener, however, has the unique ability to...
Chronic kidney disease can lead to renal failure, although the mechanisms are not well understood. CKD is a significant public health problem with 20 million Americans or 11 percent of the population currently living with the disease, notes the...
Kidney stones are hard, small deposits consisting of minerals that develop in your kidneys. Factors that contribute to kidney stone development include excessive weight gain, certain digestive diseases and family history. Diets high in sodium,...
Diet sodas are widely consumed as a replacement for higher-calorie sugar-laden drinks that can lead to obesity. According to the Mayo Clinic, diet sodas should be reserved as a treat. Diet drinks contain fewer calories that might aid weight loss,...
The average caffeine intake for adults in the United States is 200 mg per day and 80 percent of this country's population consumes caffeinated beverages, according to the authors of "The World of Caffeine." Caffeine, considered a mild diuretic,...
Antiperspirants are designed to combat underarm odor by reducing sweat. Antiperspirants use aluminum-based compounds to form a temporary plug in sweat ducts to stop the flow of sweat to the skin's surface. Many questions have been raised about the...
Potassium is both a dietary mineral and an electrolyte. Your body relies on this vital nutrient for the proper functioning of your organs, tissues and cells. Potassium is crucial to life due to the role it plays in the contraction of muscle...
In the body, the mineral potassium is usually confined to your cells, with relatively small quantities in the blood. When blood potassium concentrations get too high, called hyperkalemia, your heart rate slows. If concentrations are low, called...
If you are like most people, you probably have a box of sodium bicarbonate, or baking soda, in your cupboard. While you may use it to cook, clean or deodorize around the house, the health benefits of sodium bicarbonate are not as well known. If...
Unfortunately, there are no magic supplements to ward off renal failure. However, supplements do play a role in management of renal failure and in possibly slowing down the progression of renal disease. If you have renal disease, scrupulous...
For most, caffeine is a harmless substance that simply causes you to feel more awake and alert. However, consuming more than the amount of caffeine contained in 1 or 2 cups of coffee could cause unpleasant side effects like headaches or jitters....
Purines are substances that are found in the cells within the body, as well as certain foods such as meats, organ meats and dried beans. When the body breaks down purines, uric acid is the end product. Normally, uric acid is sent to the kidneys...
Calcium tolerance is often confused with lactose intolerance in health literature, but the two are not the same. Lactose intolerance occurs when a person has an inability to digest lactose, which is a sugar found in dairy products. According to P....
Magnesium is an essential mineral your body uses for keeping your bones strong, your immune system healthy, your muscles and nerves functioning properly and your heart beating steadily. Magnesium is also involved in maintaining blood pressure and...
When uric acids crystals collect in the joints of the body, the result is a painful condition known as gout. Gout most frequently affects the base of the big toe, but can also be found in the ankle, knee, or rarely, the shoulder. It strikes when...
According to Medline Plus, the kidneys, or renal system, help control water levels and eliminate wastes through urine. They also help regulate blood pressure, red blood cell production and the levels of calcium and minerals. The United States...
Kidney stones are hard mineral-based deposits that develop in your urinary tract and may cause excruciating pain. Kidney stones affect roughly 10 percent of Americans, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center, and are four times more...
Soda is one of the most common beverages in the American diet. In addition to providing extra calories, sodas could increase your risk of developing high blood pressure. This happens because one of the most common sweeteners used in sodas triggers...
You may be wondering what sugar has to do with hypertension, given that all you've ever heard was that sodium was the major culprit behind the condition. Turns out, too much added sugar in your diet builds a recipe for high blood pressure just as...
