More than half a million Americans suffer from kidney stones every year, according to 2011 information from the National Kidney Foundation. A kidney stone is made from chemicals in the urine such as calcium, oxalate, urate or phosphate. A stone can result in pain if it travels from your kidney down your ureter, causing irritation or blockage. Drinking enough water every day, exercising regularly and maintaining a healthy weight can help prevent kidney stones, but evidence also indicates that your fructose intake could also play a role in their formation.
Fructose in Your Diet
The first food source of fructose that comes to mind for most people is fruits. Although fruits are a source of fructose, most fructose comes from sugary foods and beverages, not fruit. Sucrose, or table sugar, is 50 percent fructose and 50 percent glucose, just like honey, maple syrup and molasses. High-fructose corn syrup contains slightly more fructose with 55 percent fructose and 45 percent glucose. The high intake of soft drinks and other sweetened beverages as well as baked goods, desserts and sweetened processed foods are responsible for the increased consumption of fructose in the American diet.
Fructose and Rates of Kidney Stones
According to a research review article published in October 2007 in "Kidney International," investigators looked at data from the Nurses' Health Study I and II in addition to data from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study to assess free fructose and sucrose intake every four years for a combined period of 48 years. Research indicates that participants consuming the most fructose had a 27 to 37 percent higher risk of developing symptomatic kidney stones compared to the group eating the least fructose.
Mechanism
More studies are required to better understand the relationship between the increased risk of kidney stones and a high fructose intake. However, the research article published in the October 2007 issue of "Kidney International" indicates that fructose could cause an increased urinary secretion of the metabolites calcium, oxalate and uric acid. Higher concentrations of these compounds could lead to the formation of stones in your kidney and put you at risk of suffering from kidney stone disease.
Prevent Kidney Stone
Fructose appears to be an important risk factor in kidney stone disease. If you are prone to kidney stones, you don't necessarily have to eliminate fruits from your diet. Rather, try to keep your fruit consumption moderate, including one to two serving of fruits. Avoid large fruits and choose smaller apple, pears or bananas to keep your fructose intake low. Berries are a good option because they contain less fructose compared to most other fruits. However, the greatest factor influencing your fructose intake is the consumption of soft drinks, baked goods and desserts containing sugar, high-fructose corn syrup or other sweeteners. Avoid these foods because not only are they dangerous for your waist line and overall health, but they could also cause kidney stone problems.
References
- National Kidney Foundation; Kidney Stones; 2011
- "Renal & Urology News"; Kidney Stone Risk is Linked to Fructose; Jody A. Charnow; February 2008
- "Kidney International"; Fructose Consumption and The Risk of Kidney Stones; E. N. Taylor and G. C. Curhan; October 2007
- "Sugar: The Bitter Truth"; Robert H. Lustig; July 2009
- USDA National Nutrient Database: Nutrient Data Laboratory
