What Are the Causes of Kidney Stone Formation?

Anyone who has experienced the sensation of passing a kidney stone will testify as to it's formidable pain. These clogs in the body's waste removal process have a multitude of causes, yet there do exist many opportunities to limit the likelihood of occurrence.

Basics

• Kidney stones are waste products--hard mineral deposits comprised of calcium and other chemicals in the urine. Scientists don't completely agree on how or why they form but basic theories exist. Calcium and these other chemicals bond together, crystallizing into a stone that causes immense pain as it tries to pass through the urine stream. These objects vary in size from that of a grain of sand to a small pebble. Urine normally contains compounds that prevent these crystals from forming, but in certain individuals, other factors seem to override this natural defense.

Risk Factors

• Kidney stones are most likely to develop in people with recurring urinary tract infections, those who engage in too little exercise, misuse certain medications, have urinary tract blockages, suffer from eating disorders, have a specific metabolic or genetic disease, eat large amounts of animal protein and consume too little fluid. A history of stones in the family is definitely a high risk factor as are repeated cases of kidney infection.

Types

• There are four primary types of kidney stones, each with a different cause and each requiring differing treatment, says the National Kidney Fund.

  Calcium-oxalate stones are the most common. These likely develop from excessive consumption of calcium or Vitamin D. However, it's important to consult with a doctor. Simply reducing calcium intake may not stop stones from forming and could be harmful.

  Struvite stones develop more often in females and normally are larger and more harmful to the kidneys. Instances of kidney infection seem to bring these on.

  Uric acid stones normally occur in individuals who eat too much red meat.

  Cystine stones pop up primarily in people with genetic kidney diseases and are extremely rare.

Diet

• According to the book "No More Kidney Stones" by Dr. John S. Rodman, Cynthia Seidman M.S., R.D. and Dr. R. Ernest Sosa, the rate of kidney stone disease has risen dramatically in western industrialized nations since World War II. Diet is certainly a factor. "A number of studies have been done and they clearly connect this rise to what people are eating," write the authors. "As we eat richer diets we must deal with more wastes. And wastes come through our kidneys and out in the urine. The stone 'boom' is tied to our diets."

Fluid Intake

• Failing to drink an appropriate amount of fluid is also believed to contribute to stone formation. Drs. Rodman, Sosa and Seidman suggest viewing kidney stones as clogs in the urinary system. "The urinary tract is really the body's sewer system and the kidney is the processing plant for waste disposal," they write. " The more waste the kidney must get rid of, and the less fluid volume it has to flush the waste out, the greater the chance that it will clog." Experts at the National Kidney Fund suggest drinking six to eight glasses of water daily.