According to the National Kidney Foundation of the United States, the lifetime risk of kidney stones in the United States is about 19% for men and 9% for women.

A study found that between 2017 and 2018, The prevalence of kidney stones It is 10.9% for men and 9.5% for women. Between 2007-2008 and 2017-2018, the incidence of women increased, but the incidence of men did not.

Kidney stones are hard, jagged complexes composed of minerals and salts that accumulate in the urine. They are usually small, but when they grow up, they can cause pain and complications. Especially when they descend into the ureter connecting the kidneys and bladder-all of which are part of the urinary tract.

Experts say that if the stone gets stuck there instead of being excreted, it will prevent urine from flowing out of the kidneys and cause pain.

Most are calcium stones, calcium oxalate or calcium phosphate. People with high levels of calcium in their urine have a higher risk of developing these types of stones.

Some stones are also made of uric acid crystals. When the urine is too acid, these types of stones are more likely to form. People with type 2 diabetes, obesity, and chronic diarrhea have a higher risk of this type of stone. The same is true for people who eat a diet rich in animal protein.

What is the feeling of kidney stones?

This The most common symptoms Kidney stones are severe pain in the back and side that may move to the lower abdomen or groin. When the body tries to get rid of it, the pain may suddenly appear and gradually diminish.

Some patients with kidney stones may also feel a strong need to urinate or have a burning sensation when urinating. Sometimes the urine will darken or turn red due to the accumulation of red blood cells. Nausea and vomiting are also not uncommon.

As long as there are no signs of infection and the pain is controllable, you can wait up to six weeks for the stones to pass. When the stone does not pass by itself or has complications within a few weeks, you may need to seek medical attention.

Treatment methods vary depending on the type of stone, but usually involve medication to relax the ureter or surgery, such as shock wave lithotripsy to break up the stone and make it easier to pass out of the body.

Can you reduce the risk?

Although family history of kidney stones and certain diseases do affect whether you will develop kidney stones, you can change your lifestyle to reduce your risk.

Dehydration It is one of the biggest risk factors, so make sure you drink enough water to maintain adequate urine output. Otherwise, your urine will be concentrated, the color will darken, and all the salts and minerals will not be properly dissolved.

It is also important to reduce salt intake. Too much salt in the urine prevents calcium from being reabsorbed, leading to the accumulation of calcium stones. Oxalate is a compound found in certain foods, and its high content can also cause stones.

Diets rich in animal protein, such as beef, fish, chicken, and pork, also increase the acid content in the body and urine, making calcium oxalate and uric acid stones easier to form.

Certain medications and calcium and vitamin C supplements can also increase the risk of stone formation. Because calcium is important for bone health, doctors generally do not recommend reducing the calcium content in the diet.

Conflicting data on zinc

Scientists say that there is much to be understood about kidney stones, especially the role of zinc in the growth of stones. Conflicting studies have shown that it either prohibits or stimulates the growth of calcium stones.

A study was published in Journal of Urology In 2017, it was found that higher zinc in the diet of adolescents was associated with a lower incidence of calcium stones.

A 2016 study However, the findings of the Benoif Children’s Hospital at the University of California, San Francisco are just the opposite. Using the fruit fly model, they found that the stone has a high zinc content.

Now, a new study published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society Crystal growth and design It is said that zinc actually both promotes and reduces the growth of calcium oxalate crystals that make up most kidney stones.

Jeffrey Rimer, Abraham E. Dukler, Professor of Chemistry and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston, Call it A double-edged sword.

“What we see in zinc is something we have never seen before. It does slow down the growth of calcium oxalate crystals, and at the same time it changes the surface of the crystals, causing defects to appear in the form of symbiosis. These anomalies form the central new Crystal nucleation and growth.”

Rimer and his colleagues used in vitro experiments and computational models to study the effect of zinc on crystal growth. Then they confirmed their findings using atomic force microscopy measurements.

“The technology we use to study these systems in the laboratory allows us to better understand and deconstruct these complex systems as a means of identifying new ways to prevent kidney stone formation,” Rimer said.

“These are tools that allow us to understand at an almost molecular level how various species in urine regulate crystal growth.”

If you often experience kidney stones, please discuss with your doctor how to reduce their recurrence.