The four types of kidney stones (and how to limit them)
Know Your Stones
Kidney stones are on the rise, and once you've had one, the odds say it won't be your last. There are four different types, and each one forms for a different reason, which means the plan for dealing with them isn't one size fits all. Here's how they break down, and where KSPtabs fits for each.
General figures; individual results vary. Background reading: Harvard Health on rising kidney stone risk.
Share of all kidney stones
The Four Types
Tap a stone type to learn more
What causes it, who gets it, and where KSPtabs fits for that type.
Calcium stones~80% of stones
Calcium stones make up the large majority of kidney stones. There are two kinds, calcium oxalate (by far the most common) and calcium phosphate, and both show up on a plain x-ray.
Oxalate is a natural compound in food. When there's too much of it in your urine, it binds to calcium and forms a calcium oxalate stone. If you're a calcium stone former, the job is to limit the foods at the top of the high oxalate list, which unfortunately includes healthy options like kale, spinach, beets and nuts.
Phosphate stones are much less common and typically develop in people with metabolic or hormonal conditions such as hyperparathyroidism or renal tubular acidosis.
How KSPtabs helps
Citrate helps with both kinds of calcium stone. It binds to calcium in your urine before oxalate or phosphate can, so tiny crystals have fewer chances to form, and it supports a healthy urine pH.
Magnesium, a natural stone inhibitor in KSPtabs, competes with calcium and interferes with oxalate and phosphate trying to bind to it, which may help slow early crystal formation and growth.
Uric acid stones~10% of stones
Uric acid stones usually form in people who eat a lot of animal protein and in people with gout. If you've had gout, you're about 60 percent more likely to develop a kidney stone. They form in acidic urine (pH below 7) and are harder to see on a plain x-ray than calcium stones.
They can often be managed with a diet heavy in fruits and vegetables and plenty of fluid to dilute the extra acid. Uric acid stones are also the only type that can be dissolved, by raising urine pH, which citrate helps with.
How KSPtabs helps
The citrate in KSPtabs helps raise urine pH, which discourages uric acid crystals from forming or growing. It's an easier daily habit than lemons or apple cider vinegar, and it comes with the electrolytes that help you stay hydrated.
Struvite stones~6% of stones
Struvite, or infection stones, are the exception to the rule: they form in alkaline urine rather than acidic. They're more common in women, infants and older adults, and are usually tied to recurring bacterial urinary tract infections.
It's not unusual for a struvite stone to start life as a calcium stone that then gets colonized by bacteria. That's one more reason preventing the first calcium stone matters: no stone, less opportunity for bacteria to take hold.
A note on cystine and struvite
If you form cystine or struvite stones, you're almost certainly already working with a physician, because these types are more complex and can involve other medical conditions. Follow that plan first. KSPtabs can still help by lowering the chance of calcium stones forming alongside them.
Cystine stones~4% of stones
Cystine stones are the least common. They're caused by an inherited disorder that leaves too much of the amino acid cystine in the body. These stones recur and tend to be larger, and most people get their first one in their twenties or thirties.
Where KSPtabs Fits
One habit that works against all four.
Whatever type you form, two things help: enough fluid to keep your urine dilute, and a urine pH that isn't sitting in the acidic range where most stones like to grow. KSPtabs was developed by a board-certified urologist to do both in one glass. Drop a tablet in 16 ounces of water or juice, two to three times a day, and your hydration comes with citrate, magnesium and B6 built in.
- ✓Drop one tablet in 16 ounces of water, let it fizz, drink
- ✓Two to three a day, aiming for pale yellow urine
- ✓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 types FAQ
How do I find out what type of kidney stone I have?
If you passed the stone, your doctor can send it for analysis, which is the most direct answer. If you didn't catch it, a 24-hour urine test shows what's out of balance (calcium, oxalate, uric acid, citrate, pH) and points strongly to the type. Imaging helps too: calcium stones show on a plain x-ray, uric acid stones often don't.
Can kidney stones be dissolved?
Only uric acid stones. Raising urine pH under a doctor's guidance can dissolve them over time. Calcium, struvite and cystine stones can't be dissolved, which is why prevention is the whole game for the 90 percent of people who form those types.
Does urine pH matter for every stone type?
Yes, but in different directions. Uric acid and cystine stones favor acidic urine, so raising pH helps. Struvite stones form in alkaline urine, usually because of infection, so treating the infection is the priority. Calcium oxalate is less pH sensitive than people think; for those stones, dilute urine and enough citrate matter most.
Can KSPtabs help with every type?
Most directly with calcium and uric acid stones, which together are about 90 percent of cases: citrate binds calcium and supports a healthier pH. For cystine and struvite stones, your physician's plan comes first, and KSPtabs works alongside it by lowering the chance of calcium stones forming as well.
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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 type and prevention plan.
