Lower Calcium and Water Intake Increases Risk of Kidney Stones

According to a study published in the Journal of Urology, researchers examined more than 78,000 women older than 50 and found that the risk of developing kidney stones for the first-time increased as water and calcium intake decreased.


Though it was once believed that dairy intake could increase your chances of developing kidney stones, studies suggest that dairy foods can actually protect you from developing them. This is especially good news for older women who often need to boost calcium intake because of the risk of thinning bones and bone fractures, Reuters reported the study suggested. The study found that women who had a higher calcium intake from food, had a lower risk for kidney stones, though researchers warn that those women who take a calcium supplement should talk to their doctors about their risks of kidney stone development.


The study showed that women with the greatest fluid intake had a twenty-percent lower risk of developing kidney stones. It also found that women with salty diets were had a 61 percent higher risk of developing kidney stones then those with the least salty diets.


Kidney stones occur when there are more substances in the urine than the body can dilute, and some people may be more prone to developing them than others.