Iced Tea Poses Kidney-Stone Hazard

MAYWOOD, Ill. Iced tea is seen as a refreshing summer treat, but one urologist warns it may induce kidney stones. In fact, he said it was potentially one of the worst things many people can drink.

A press release from the Loyola University Health System noted iced tea contains high concentrations of oxalate, one of the key chemicals that lead to the formation of kidney stones. Kidney stones a common disorder of the urinary tract that affects about 10 percent of the population in the United States. Though hot tea also contains oxalate, it isnt as easy to consume a quantity large enough amount to encourage the formation of stones.

For many people, iced tea is potentially one of the worst things they can drink, said Dr. John Milner, assistant professor, Department of Urology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, Ill. For people who have a tendency to form kidney stones, its definitely one of the worst things you can drink.

The most common cause of kidney stones is the failure to drink enough fluids. During the summer, people are generally more dehydrated due to sweating. The dehydration combined with increased iced tea consumption raises the risk of kidney stones, especially in people who are prone to develop them, according to Milner.

People are told that in the summertime they should drink more fluids, said Milner. A lot of people choose to drink more iced tea, thinking its a tastier alternative. However, in terms of kidney stones, theyre actually doing themselves a disservice. To quench thirst and to properly hydrate, there is no better alternative than water, Milner said.

Lemonade may be the better choice for drinkers, because lemons help to ward off kidney stones. Lemons are very high in citrates, which inhibit the growth of kidney stones, Milner said. Lemonade, not the powdered variety that uses artificial flavoring, actually slows the development of kidney stones for those who are prone to the development of kidney stones.

Milner also said people concerned about developing kidney stones should cut back on eating foods that also contain high concentrations of oxalates such as spinach, chocolate, rhubarb and nuts. They should ease up on salt, eat meat sparingly, drink several glasses of water a day and eat foods that are high in calcium, which reduces the amount of oxalate the body absorbs.

Men are four times more likely to develop kidney stones than women, according to Loyola University Health System, and the risk rises dramatically once they reach their 40s. Postmenopausal women with low estrogen levels and women who have had their ovaries removed also have an increased risk of developing stones.

Kidney stones are small crystals that form from the minerals and salt normally found in the urine in the kidneys or ureters, the small tubes that drain urine from the kidney to the bladder. Most of the time kidney stones are so small that they are harmlessly expelled from the body. But on some occasions, the stones grow to the point that they can become lodged in the ureters.