Increased marketing and consumption of sports drinks has come under fire as a contributing factor for the increased incidence of kidney stones. Because sports drinks have potassium and sodium in their ingredients, it is assumed these salts contribute to an increased urinary calcium excretion, causing the formation of kidney stones. So far, no research studies have found a relationship between sports drink consumption and an increase in kidney stone formation. Keeping hydrated with fluids such as water, juice or sports drinks is associated with reduced kidney stone formation.
Kidney Stones
Five different types of kidney stones can form in your kidneys and your diet can promote or inhibit their formation. Calcium oxalate and calcium phosphate, the most common type of kidney stones, sometimes form when high salt in the diet causes an increased urinary output. The increased output causes higher amounts of calcium to be excreted in the urine, which can lead to kidney stone formation.
Dietary Sodium
The maximum recommended intake of dietary sodium is 2,400 mg per day and but average American consumes 3,300 mg, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. High sodium intake increases the risk of calcium stone formation, so most doctors recommend a low-salt diet and drinking plenty of water. Salty snacks, processed foods, canned soups, packaged meals and sports drinks contribute to a high-sodium diet. Eliminating one item, such as sports drinks, from your diet is not usually enough to change urine sodium excretion. A registered dietitian can assist you in designing a complete low-sodium diet.
Sports Drinks Ingredients
Sports drinks contain carbohydrates, minerals, electrolytes and flavoring. Their intention is to replenish electrolytes lost by sweating during prolonged exercise. An average child, who exercises regularly, does not need sports drinks. The amount of sodium varies per product. One 8 oz. serving of Gatorade contains 110 mg of sodium, while Powerade contains 54 mg and All Sport Body Quencher has 55 mg, all small amounts of sodium, compared to your daily sodium intake.
Research
Jeffrey Goodman at New York University completed a study in 2008, published in "Urology Research," stating that adults drinking 946 mL of sports drink daily did not have any increase in their urinary sodium or calcium. Because the sports drinks studied did not change urine chemistry, it is predicted that such drinks would not affect kidney stone formation. High-sodium sports drinks, such as Gatorade Endurance, may pose a risk but currently no studies have been completed on these types of drinks.
Considerations
Sports drinks and energy drinks are not the same. Sports drinks replenish water and electrolytes, while energy drinks contain non-nutritive stimulants, such as caffeine. Regularly drinking sports drinks is usually not necessary and may contribute to increasing calorie consumption, as well as dental erosion. Physicians generally recommend plain water, unless you exercise for more than two hours or you sweat excessively. Dehydration is a risk factor for calcium kidney stone formation.
References
- "Pediatrics"; Clinical Report -- Sports Drinks and Energy Drinks for Children and Adolescents: Are They Appropriate?; Committee on Nutrition and the Council on Sports Medicine and Fitness; May 2011
- European Food Information Council; The Role of Sports Drinks; March 2009
- National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse; Diet for Kidney Stone Prevention; May 2009
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs: Preventing Kidney Stones
- Johns Hopkins Medicine; Kidney Stones Occurring More Often in Children; December 2006
- "Urological Research"; Effect of Two Sports Drinks on Urinary Lithogenicity; Jeffery Goodman, et al.; February 2009
