6 surprising ways to prevent stones on the ketogenic diet

Published June 12, 2020·Mattia D.

Kidney stones are usually formed from agglomerates of calcium and oxalates. They are usually caused by: low hydration, few citrates in the diet at the same time as high levels of oxalates and calcium.

1. Bevi molta acqua

When you don't drink enough water, a supersaturation phenomenon develops, which means that the fluid saturation levels in the kidneys become very concentrated.

When the fluid saturation in the kidneys becomes too concentrated, the risk of developing kidney stones increases.

To de-saturate kidney fluids, the solution is very simple: drink plenty of water. In fact, drinking from 2 to 3 liters of water per day reduces the concentration of oxalates and calcium in the kidneys, also reducing the probability of forming stones.

It is important to underline in this case that the intake of too many fluids also leads to the reduction of electrolytes, so it is good to not exceed 2.5-3 liters per day.

If you want to be more serene and drink more than 2.5 liters a day, it is important to replenish the electrolytes with potassium and magnesium supplements.

2. Cut back on foods with high oxalate levels

Oxalates are antinutrients, naturally occurring in various plants, which in combination with calcium form calcium oxalates, the number one enemy of the kidneys. In fact, the majority of kidney stones are made up of crystals composed of calcium oxalate.

The fact that some people are more sensitive than others to stone formation is due to the fact that their absorption level of oxalates is above average (usually the average absorption is 10%).

Therefore, to prevent kidney stones, it is good to reduce as much as possible foods and ingredients that have high levels of this element, such as:

Almonds and almond flour
Spinach
Dark chocolate and cocoa
Beans
Tender

You can replace the ingredients listed above with low oxalate foods, such as:

Pistachios
Asparagus
Romaine lettuce
Cheeses
Chamomile

3. Add more citrates to your diet

Usually the people most susceptible to forming kidney stones are also deficient in citrates.

Citrates are substances present in high quantities in fruits such as lemons and limes, which combine with oxalates to facilitate their dissolution.

An excellent solution is to add the juice of one lemon to the 2-3 liters of water mentioned in point 1 of this article, to have an even greater effect in preventing stones.

Another solution is to take supplements containing potassium citrate and magnesium citrate, which also help maintain optimal electrolyte levels.

NB: The intake of potassium and magnesium citrate could have laxative effects, so do not overdo the doses.

4. Eat more cheese

The first thought you will have is: if oxalates combine with calcium to form stones, wouldn't it be better to reduce calcium in the diet?

The fact is that calcium combines with oxalates first in the digestive tract, causing less oxalates available to be absorbed. This means that there will be fewer oxalates depositing in the kidneys.

In this case, the most recommended cheeses are goat ones, because they create fewer digestive problems for those who are lactose intolerant.

If you prefer to use a supplement, absolutely avoid calcium carbonate. Again, the best type of calcium is citrate, which also helps dissolve stones.

If you then perform step 2 correctly, which is to reduce foods with high levels of oxalates, the likelihood of forming stones will be greatly reduced.

5. Cut down on salt in your diet

Incorporating sodium into the ketogenic diet is important, but when you overdo it, the excess sodium helps move calcium to the kidneys, causing stones here too.

It is generally difficult to overdo the salt, but if you have followed steps 1, 2, 3, and 4, and you still have kidney stones, reducing the amount of salt in your diet may help.

The daily dose not to be exceeded is about 2300mg of salt, the equivalent of about a teaspoon.

6. Get more vitamin K2

Vitamin K2 is extremely important against calcification in soft tissues. People with very high levels of calcium in the body (hypercalcemia) are much more susceptible to forming stones, precisely because the excess calcium is deposited in the soft tissues.

Vitamin K2 ensures that calcium in the soft tissues is transported to the bones where it cannot cause problems.

A food with very high levels of vitamin K2 is natto, an ingredient of Japanese origin produced by the fermentation of soybeans.

Now, the taste of natto is not for everyone, indeed, but if you like it it is an excellent source of vitamin K2.

If, on the other hand, you are part of the majority of the population, so you can't even smell natto, then a vitamin K2 supplement is the best solution.

In this case, if you decide for the supplement, check that the vitamin K2 is of the MK-7 type, like the following: Vitamin K2 - MK-7.