Drinking cranberry grape juice likely won't help you pass a kidney stone. The nutrients in cranberries and grapes do nothing to encourage these hardened deposits of minerals and acid salts to dislodge from the kidneys. Instead, another treatment option is necessary. Talk to your doctor to determine the best course of treatment for you.
Kidney Stones
Kidney stones develop from a combination of factors, but one of the most significant is the acidity — or alkalinity — of your urine. If your urine is high in uric acid or calcium oxalate, you’re more likely to develop a salt or mineral deposit. Cranberry grape juice doesn’t improve the level of either substance, so it can’t be used to treat or prevent kidney stones.
Warning
Cranberry juice contains oxalates, and your doctor may tell you to limit oxalate-rich foods if you have a history of kidney stones. Drinking cranberry grape juice may elevate the level of oxalates in your body, increasing your risk of calcium oxalate stones. Cranberry juice is also known to increase uric acid levels in urine, so you’re also at a greater risk of developing uric acid stones when drinking cranberry grape juice. The same is true for both grapefruit juice and apple juice.
Self-Care Measures
Instead of self-prescribing cranberry grape juice to pass a kidney stone, increase your intake of water. According to MayoClinic.com, you can help your body pass a small stone by drinking 2 to 3 quarts of water a day. Any pain you experience as a result of passing a kidney stone can be relieved with over-the-counter medications, such as ibuprofen, acetaminophen and naproxen.
Medical Intervention
If self-care measures fail to encourage a kidney stone to pass, you may require medical intervention. Shock waves can break up some larger stones into smaller ones that are easier to pass, and a ureteroscope can be fed through the urethra to manually remove a large stone. There’s also the option of tunnel surgery, where an incision is made in your back and an instrument is used to extract the stone. Your doctor can help determine which treatment is best suited to your particular condition.
Exceptions
If you’re prone to developing struvite or brushite stones, which aren’t as common as calcium and uric acid stones, cranberry grape juice may be of benefit. Both forms of kidney stones stem from urinary tract infections. Because cranberry juice is known to prevent this condition, including it in your diet may reduce your risk of struvite and brushite stones.
