Can you prevent kidney stones?
Kidney Stone Prevention
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. If you, a family member or a friend suffers from kidney stones, you're looking for that ounce. So what causes stones, is there a cure, and what actually keeps them from coming back?
General figures; individual results vary. Background reading: Harvard Health on rising kidney stone risk.
The Basics
What are kidney stones?
Understanding how stones form is the first step to preventing them. Simply put, kidney stones form when your urine contains more crystal-forming substances than the fluid in it can dilute. Those substances include calcium, oxalate and uric acid. Most people who form stones also lack the elements in their urine that keep those crystals from sticking together, and that combination creates the ideal environment for a stone.
There are four basic types of kidney stones. The most common by far is calcium stones, which account for over 80 percent of all stones.
The four types of kidney stones
Approximate shares. Full breakdown in The Four Types of Kidney Stones.
What Actually Works
Is there a cure for kidney stones?
There's no cure, but there is prevention, and research points to three habits that matter most.
The bottom line
1Dilute your urine.
2Limit the worst oxalates.
3Keep your urine pH from going acidic.
Drink more fluid
Dilute urine gives crystals fewer chances to meet and bond. Most urologists want stone formers producing close to 2.5 liters of urine a day, which for most people means drinking steadily all day, not just at meals. Pale yellow urine is a good sign you're there.
Limit stone-forming foods
The most notorious are foods high in oxalates. Oxalate is a natural compound in a wide range of foods, and if you form stones easily or run dry during the day, high oxalate in your urine is the perfect setup for a calcium oxalate stone. The good news is only a short list of foods really moves the needle, and even kale doesn't have to come off the menu.
Keep your urine pH balanced
When urine turns acidic (a low pH), crystals form more easily. A lot of what we eat today pushes urine that direction, and keto and other high-protein diets are especially prone to it. A pH closer to neutral (around 7) is friendlier ground for stone formers.
Where KSPtabs Fits
All three habits in one glass of water.
KSPtabs were created by a board-certified urologist who watched his patients struggle to keep up with water, diet changes and giant citrate pills. He built an effervescent tablet that makes water worth drinking and puts the key stone-fighting elements in it at the same time.
- ✓Drop one tablet in 16 ounces of water, let it fizz, drink
- ✓Two to three a day to keep your water working for your kidneys
- ✓33% increase in urinary citrate in a small clinical study*
*Median urinary citrate increased 33% during KSPtabs use. Small study in 10 healthy adults with no history of kidney stones; the study evaluated urine chemistry and did not assess kidney stone recurrence. Journal of Urology, 2021. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Common Questions
Kidney stone prevention FAQ
Can kidney stones be cured?
No. Once you've formed a stone, you're a stone former, and the numbers say the goal has to shift to preventing the next one: about 75% of people who pass a stone will form another, and roughly half do so within five to ten years. Over 80% of stones are calcium, and calcium stones can't be dissolved, so hydration, diet and urine chemistry are the tools that matter. Uric acid stones, about 10% of cases, are the exception and can sometimes be dissolved by raising urine pH under a doctor's care.
How much water should I drink to prevent kidney stones?
It depends on your body, activity and climate, so ask your urologist for a target. A commonly cited goal for stone formers is enough fluid to produce close to 2.5 liters of urine a day. Pale yellow urine usually means you're on track. KSPtabs makes that habit easier to keep and adds citrate and electrolytes to every glass.
Why does urine pH matter for kidney stones?
Acidic urine (low pH) makes it easier for crystals to form and stick together, especially uric acid and calcium oxalate crystals. Diets heavy in animal protein, including keto, push urine acidic. Citrate helps nudge pH back toward neutral, which is one of the reasons it's the backbone of KSPtabs.
How do I know what's causing my stones?
Ask your doctor what type of stone you passed, and request a 24-hour urine test. It measures your urine volume, oxalate, citrate, calcium and pH, which tells you exactly which lever to pull. Guessing is how people end up cutting out foods that were never the problem.
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This article is for general information and isn't a substitute for medical advice. Talk with your doctor about your specific kidney stone risk and prevention plan.
