Kidney Stones: Addressing Some Underlying Root Problems

Maybe we shouldn’t be blaming oxalate containing foods for what the underlying toxic indoor mold exposure did???

**Mold is not in all cases of course, but in many…

Conventional Care for Kidney Stones

Let’s say a patient goes to the doctor with symptoms and receives a valid diagnosis of kidney stones after evaluation. This is awesome we have the technology to be able to diagnose this common health problem! What happens next for a care plan is usually some version of this: queue the low oxalate diet, and drink plenty of water each day, medications and maybe other more invasive procedures if needed.

Now this isn’t bad advice in terms of a plan forward, but

1. Is it zooming out enough? Did this really occur because too many oxalates were consumed from food/fluids (a common easy blame) and/or “genetics” – another easy blame or
2. Is it something in the body (maybe say mold colonization and or candida overgrowth) producing excess oxalates and food/fluids is taking the blame?

There are obviously more scenarios than just those two above, and food and genetics CAN absolutely be culprits but they also can be scapegoats too.

Are Common Interventions “Dancing Around” Bigger Problems That Cause Kidney Stones?

As a registered dietitian for almost 15 years, I don’t view oxalates found in food as inherently problematic and I tend to not be a food restrictive dietitian as I think many dietary restrictions dance around larger issues in some situations such as:

1. Low FODMAP diet as an attempted fix for underlying gut dysbiosis/sibo that dish out the symptoms
2. Low histamine diet as an attempted bandaid for underlying toxin bioaccumulation/h pylori presence/nutrient deficiencies/etc. that keep triggering the mast cells to release excess histamine and other chemical mediators
3. And now low oxalate diet as bandaid for underlying toxic indoor mold exposure leading to candida colonization and in turn it is off putting excess oxalates into circulation and the person is recommended to eat less oxalates to introduce less “cooks in the kitchen”

I acknowledge I am being somewhat reductive and overly succinct here for the purpose of a short blog; and in the same breath I do think restrictive dietary interventions can serve a time a place especially in the short term.

But sometimes there is too much emphasis on restriction of healthy, whole food and this can be the green/holistic version of downstream symptom “whack a mole.” Many times when we swim more upstream we would find deeper issues dishing out the problems that are surface level presenting. 

How Oxalates and Clinically Significant Amounts of Toxic Indoor Mold are Related

In regards to oxalates specifically, it’s more when they are in excess that they can be harmful – which is the case with just about everything in life. Now are people really out there just eating too many oxalates and not drinking enough water to flush it? Possibly.

But a more likely scenario is the clinically significant prevalance of toxic indoor mold in about 45 million buildings across the country.

People exposed to clinically significant levels of toxic indoor mold from water damage (its in the tens of millions in the USA) often will become “mold colonized” and this can produce excessive amounts of oxalates and this can build up and be difficult to clear fast enough.

Queue someone saying:

• “But mold is everywhere.”
• “But mold has been around forever.”
• “But all homes have some mold.”

Agree with all these mold illness denial statements above to a point; but note we are talking about clinically significant levels that harm human health not what is outside dispersing into the atmosphere. We spend more time than ever inside airtight “green” obsessed buildings with concentrated levels, and EMFs from WIFI have entered the conversation proliferating mold spores up to 600x and other comorbidities have exponentially skyrocketed.

This toxic indoor mold burden on the body is often the real driving issue for kidney stone formation and we will explore this and what you can do about it.

Yes, foods can add to the bucket but can be pennies in the bucket compared to the mold colonization that is consistently off putting oxalates. Note the majority of analyzed kidney stones are calcium oxalate containing stones.

What are Oxalates exactly?

Oxalates are compounds found in several different kinds of plants. Plants use oxalates for protection against viruses and bacteria, and to deter animals and insects.

So when humans eat certain plants, they are consuming oxalates.

Certain plants have a little amount of oxalates and some have a lot. Most of us expel the majority of the oxalates we consume through our urine and stool, so most humans don’t really need to worry about them. Usually there is something deeper going on than just eating healthy, whole foods containing oxalates and it causing health problems.

In fact, many high oxalate containing foods are also very nutrient dense foods with many other health benefits: 

• Fruits – kiwi, blackberries, pomegranates, plantains 
• Vegetables – beets, rhubarb, sweet potatoes, okra, swiss chard, spinach 
• Grains – buckwheat, brown rice, oats 
• Legumes – kidney beans, lentils, soybeans, peanuts 
• Nuts – cashews, almonds 
• Seeds – sesame seeds (and tahini), pine nuts 

Reflect on the reality that many plants with high oxalate content are packed with antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.

This is why so many in functional/integrative medicine say let’s pause and think about this. Are whole, nutrient dense foods with oxalates really the true problem here – or the straw breaking the camel’s back?

When you look at all the data and medical literature on toxic mold exposures, their widespread prevalence, and what it can do to the human body, it makes sense that this is an important stone to overturn for those with kidney stones (and so many other health problems).

Why are oxalates in excess a problem for the body?

1. Oxalates bind to minerals and lead to nutrient deficiencies.
When oxalates are not eliminated appropriately or fast enough, oxalates bind to minerals like calcium and magnesium in the body and can block their absorption. Our body needs these minerals for many functions.  Excess oxalates can indirectly impact bone health, particularly for individuals with osteoporosis, by reducing calcium absorption, a crucial mineral for strong bones

2. Kidney stones formation of course when in excess.
Some oxalates are present in the urinary tract but they remain dissolved and cause no problems but in excess they sometimes bind to form crystals. In some people, these crystals can lead to the formation of stones, especially when oxalate is high and urine volume is low. Addressing low fluid intake and dehydration is important.

3. Candida overgrowth.
What causes candida overgrowth in the body? Many things including certain kinds of molds (including Aspergillus), fungi and they can also produce oxalates. (Oxalates feed off candida and candida feeds off oxalates). An OAT (organic acid test) can detect this well and so can a candida antibody panel among other tests.  Candida overgrowth can crowd out beneficial bacteria like Oxalobacter formigenes which help break down oxalate

 Symptoms of Oxalate Toxicity (often some overlap with candida overgrowth)

• Pain, muscle aches,
• Fatigue
• Brain fog 
• Strange rashes & eczema
• Tingling, numbness, or burning sensations (oxalates can irritate nerves)

Integrative Healthcare Solutions for Kidney Stones That Transcend the Typical Western Care Plan:

1. The obvious one I am trying to drive home: Find out if your home has clinically significant levels of toxic indoor mold. Start with an ERMI test (at home dust test – get kit #1 if just checking for mold) and if readings are elevated on the report (a score of 5 or higher) you get, hire a certified mold inspector, pursue remediation and then a small particle clean which these details are all discussed in my Healing from Mold Online Program.

2. Decolonize mold in your body and address fungal burden on the body that could be contributing to excess oxalate production. This will take working with a healthcare practitioner and using antifungals. You may no longer be exposed but if you yourself “became the moldy home,” you “need remediated. ” Look into MARCoNS testing and get an OAT test.

3. Increase water intake – many Urologists recommend 2 to 3 liters of fluids per day when a person has kidney stones; avoid sugary drinks that fuel candida overgrowth if its present. Fluids are to help “flush out” your system. Many say to add lemon to the water.

4. Consume calcium-rich foods alongside high-oxalate foods. Simply put, calcium binds to oxalates. We don’t want too much calcium on the other hand. Ideally, 1000-1500mg/day of calcium from food sources is recommended but talk with your Doctor.

5. Magnesium supplementation may be needed to help make up what is not being consumed from food and to be balanced in harmony with calcium as these two have a push-pull relationship. Magnesium may inhibit crystal formation, reduce oxalate absorption, and increase urinary citrate levels, all of which contribute to kidney stone prevention. The Dietary Reference Intake or most adults ranges from 300-400mg daily so most will want to be consuming this amount.

6. In the meantime (if you have mold in your home or candida overgrowth in your body) consider limiting intake of high-oxalate food, and cooking higher oxalate containing food to reduce oxalate content.

7. Avoid Megadose Vitamin C supplementation which can also be converted into oxalate when it’s metabolized. High dose vitamin C supplement is a known contributor of kidney stones, and can contribute to a copper deficiency in the body when consumed in excess. Aim for whole food sources of vitamin C which are abundant in many fruits and vegetables.

8. Screen for Low vitamin B6 or thiamine (vitamin B1) levels. Low levels of B6 and/or B1, as well as magnesium, can make it harder for the body to eliminate oxalates. Vitamin B6 is needed for magnesium utilization in the body. You can self order labs to see if you are deficient, but this does not replace medical evaluation. Get access to cash labs here and self order B vitamin levels.

These above are all excellent options to explore with your healthcare team for someone who has been diagnosed with kidney stones. Need one on one help? Self schedule a consult package today!

References:

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3883082

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8708607

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37342493

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36412567

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38662173

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10500844

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8708607

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8539333

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4829489

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC164220

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