A kidney stone is a hard mass that grows in the kidney from crystals in the urine. The medical term for kidney stones is "renal calculi." Unfortunately, kidney stones are likely to recur, and prevention is very important once you've had a kidney stone. Lemon water is one of the therapies to help prevent kidney stone formation.
Kidney Stones
There are different types of kidney stones, and the treatment to help prevent recurrence is based on the type of stone. Calcium stones, usually combined with oxalate, are the most common type. Struvite stones are composed of magnesium and ammonia, while uric acid and cysteine stones contain only those substances. The presence of a kidney stone can go undetected or may result in severe pain, nausea and vomiting, fever and chills.
Citric Acid
Citrate or citric acid is a substance in the urine that helps to keep it acidic. The citrate helps to prevent calcium from clumping into a stone. According to J. Zuckerman and D. Assimos of the Wake Forest University School of Medicine Department of Urology, a low level of citrate in the urine increases the risk of developing calcium-based kidney stones. Low citrate is a common metabolic abnormality and occurs in 20 to 60 percent of those who form kidney stones.
Lemons and Citric Acid
Lemons and lemon juice are high in citric acid, according to a study published in the March 2008 "Journal of Endourology." Lemon juice contains 1.44 gm/oz., while other citrus juice products may be as low as .22 gm/oz. Writing in the summer 2009 issue of "Reviews in Urology," J. Zuckerman and D. Assimos note a number of studies in which lemonade was found to be effective in raising urinary citrate levels.
Lemon Water as Therapy
Roger L. Sur, medical director of UC San Diego Comprehensive Kidney Stone Center, recommends lemonade as a preventive measure for recurring kidney stones. He suggests lemonade therapy consisting of 4 oz. of lemon juice in 2 liters of water per day, and notes that this practice was shown to decrease the risk of stone formation from 1.00 to 0.13 stones per patient.
Other Considerations
While lemon water or lemon juice are regarded as safe, they are most effective for calcium stones, so it's important to know what kind of kidney stone your body produces. If you have had a kidney stone and are concerned about recurrence, discuss the use of lemon water with a health care professional.
References
- University of California at San Diego; Five Ways to Prevent Kidney Stones: From Lemonade to Surgery; Jackie Carr; April 22, 2010
- "Reviews in Urology"; Hypocitraturia: Pathophysiology and Medical Management; Jack M Zuckerman, BS and Dean G Assimos, MD; Summer 2009
- "Journal of Endourology"; Quantitative Assessment of Citric Acid in Lemon Juice, Lime Juice, and Commercially-Available Fruit Juice Products; Kristina L. Penniston, M.D., et al.; March 2008
- National Kidney & Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse; What I Need To Know About Kidney Stones; John Asplin, M.D., et al.; January 2009
- University of California at San Diego; Kidney Stones; January 2009
