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Written By: Editorial Team | Published : July 14, 2014 11:11 AM IST
A warming planet is likely to bring more hot days, more sweaty people and more dehydration -- a key risk factor for a surge in kidney stones, researchers said Thursday. Already, the study in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives found a link between hot days and kidney stones in 60,000 patients whose medical records were studied in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles and Philadelphia. 'We found that as daily temperatures rise, there is a rapid increase in the probability of patients presenting over the next 20 days with kidney stones,' said lead author Gregory Tasian, a pediatric urologist and epidemiologist at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.
As average daily temperatures climbed above 50 Fahrenheit (10 Celsius), the risk of kidney stone presentation increased in all the cities except Los Angeles. When comparing daily average temperatures of 50 F to 86 F (10 to 30 C), researchers found the higher temperatures were associated with a 38 percent higher risk of kidney stone in Atlanta and a 37 percent higher risk in Chicago. Similarly, the risk in Dallas was 37 percent higher and in Philadelphia it was 47 percent higher. Los Angeles saw a smaller increased risk of 11 percent on hotter days. (Read: Try lemonade or lime juice therapy to get rid of kidney stones)
Kidney stones were most common within three days of a hot spell. Researchers also found that very cold weather in Atlanta, Chicago and Philadelphia was associated with a rise in kidney stones, perhaps because people were inside and restricting their physical activity more than usual. Kidney stones are caused when substances in the urine, such as calcium and phosphorus, become highly concentrated. Failing to drink enough fluids can exacerbate the problem. (Read: 6 expert tips to treat and prevent kidney stones)
About 10 percent of the US population is believed to suffer from kidney stones. They are more common in men than women. 'These findings point to potential public health effects associated with global climate change,' said Tasian. With worldwide temperatures already regularly higher in recent years than the 20th century average, and more warming expected in years to come, Tasian said experts believe that kidney stones may become more common. 'Kidney stone prevalence has already been on the rise over the last 30 years, and we can expect this trend to continue, both in greater numbers and over a broader geographic area, as daily temperatures increase,' said Tasian.
Here are some tips to prevent kidney stones
. Drink lots of water: Most people suffer from kidney stones during summers. It's because you tend to sweat a lot. When you lose water through excessive sweat, less amount of urine is produced. With less frequency of urination, minerals that cause kidney stones tend to settle down in the kidney nephrons and the urinary tract. When you drink plenty of water, these minerals get flushed out through the urine instead of settling down.
2. Drink healthy beverages: Coconut water and fresh lemonade are excellent options to keep kidney stones at bay.
Coconut has 94% water content which is the best way to prevent kidney stones. Plus, it also contains minerals like potassium, magnesium, manganese and potassium which are all good for maintaining kidney health. Read more health benefits of coconut water.
Lemons are high in citric acid and several studies have shown that citrate may play a role in preventing crystal formation. Experts from the National Kidney Foundation believe that citrate concentration in the urine prevents calcium from binding with other components that can cause stones formation. Some studies also suggest that citric acid prevents kidney stone to grow in size by preventing crystals to bind with each other.
Read more about causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of kidney disease.
3. Eat smartly: Oxalate is a substance that is present is several foods. It binds calcium to form calcium oxalate crystals or stones while urine is produced by the kidneys. Oxalate is present in several foods like peanuts, seeds grains, legumes, chocolates and even beverages like tea. Vegetables like spinach, beetroots and sweet potatoes contain more amount of oxalates. Many people avoid eating foods containing calcium and oxalate completely. That's not a right approach. If you want to have them, have in moderate quantity. The smartest way to avoid formation of oxalate crystals is to consume calcium and oxalate-rich foods together. When you do that, oxalate and calcium will bind in the stomach itself before reaching the kidneys. This way you will be less likely to suffer from kidney stones. Read more about 10 simple ways to prevent kidney stones
With inputs from AFP
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