Iced tea promotes formation of kidney stones

Too much iced tea can promote kidney stones

08/14/2012

During the hot summer days, iced tea is a popular soft drink. Internists warn against too much iced tea. In addition to the high sugar content, the consumption of commercial or home-made iced tea promotes the formation of kidney stones. Responsible for this is a certain acid, which promotes the kidney stone formation.

In summer, many people like to drink cold iced tea. But those who are inclined to deposits, should rather switch to other drinks, as the chairman of the professional association of German internists, Dr. med. Wolfgang Wesiack, warned. The typical summer drink contains like all black and green teas oxalic acid (oxalate) reports the internist. If the acid is added to the body in large quantities, certain types of kidney stones can develop.

Better water with lemon juice
Especially iced tea is drunk on hot days, much more than normally prepared hot tea. „If someone tends to form painful deposits, ice tea should be avoided“, advises the physician. Better, however, is water that is mixed with fresh lemon slices or lemon juice. The acidity of lemon has a positive influence and prevent kidney stone growth, says the internist.

Dehydration favors kidney stones
In the summer, it can happen quickly that people take too little liquid. However, dehydration is the most common cause of kidney stones. According to Wesiack, men over the age of 40 have four times the risk of being women. Menopausal women will also be at increased risk from this point on because of low estrogen hormone levels.

Nutrition change can provide
There are numerous ways to reduce the risk of illness. So should be best avoided drinks and foods with oxalic acid, advises the doctor. These include coffee, cola, wheat bran, rhubarb, nuts, spinach and nuts. Good alternatives, on the other hand, are food such as cottage cheese, cheese, milk, yoghurt and potatoes. These contain a lot of calcium. Studies have found that calcium minerals reduce the absorption of acid in the gut. In addition, sufferers should abstain from overeating fat and saline. Obesity and calcium deficiency are also risk factors for kidney stones.

Strong pain in kidney stones
Kidney stones are usually noticeable by severe flank pain and discomfort when urinating. If the stones get into the ureter, they can attach themselves to the bottlenecks. The setting causes strong and wavy pain (renal colic). In many cases, blood is detectable in the urine or at least detectable in the laboratory. In most cases, a urine jam follows and the affected kidney can be damaged. If the stones are very small, they can go away without kidney pain. In addition to a drug therapy and minimally invasive procedures are performed. In naturopathy, teas with dandelion roots and real lab herb are also used. These are to help with the dissolution of the kidney stones. (Sb)

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Picture: Simvero