Consuming too much sodium can increase your risk of developing many health problems. In addition to raising your blood pressure, too much sodium can make you more likely to develop certain kinds of kidney stones. If you are concerned about your sodium intake or develop kidney stones, talk to your doctor to see if you need to reduce the sodium in your diet.
Understanding Kidney Stones
Kidney stones are masses that form when crystals form in the urine. Your urine naturally contains some chemicals that inhibit the formation of kidney stones, but sometimes, the levels of dissolved substances in your urine gets high enough that crystals form. Kidney stones can get lodged in the ducts of the kidney and cause damage to the surrounding tissue and impede urine flow.
Kidney Stones and Calcium
Kidney stones can arise from high levels of many chemicals, including uric acid, cystine and struvite. However, the most common type of kidney stone is due to high levels of calcium in your urine. When your urine has too much calcium, the mineral can combine with other substances, such as oxalate or phosphate, to form calcium stones. Some people naturally secrete more calcium in their urine than other, but diet can also affect urine calcium levels.
Sodium and Calcium Excretion
One factor that can affect how much calcium is excreted into your urine is how much sodium you consume. Some of the earliest research examining the effects of sodium intake on calcium excretion was published in a 1982 issue of "Kidney International," which presented the results of an experiment in which the amount of calcium in the urine of several men was lowered by decreasing their sodium intake. This suggests that consuming too much sodium could contribute to calcium-based kidney stones.
Restricting Sodium to Prevent Kidney Stones
Reducing your sodium intake may help prevent kidney stones, but this will only work if they are calcium-based. If you have calcium kidney stones, try to limit your sodium consumption to 3,000 mg per day or less. Drinking more water and eating less protein can also help reduce the concentration of calcium in your urine.
