Posted on 04/03/2015 2:55:08 AM PDT by grundle
NEW YORK – Doctors traced an Arkansas man's kidney failure to an unusual cause — his habit of drinking a gallon of iced tea each day.
They ruled out several potential causes before stumbling on a reason for the 56-year-old man's kidney problems. He said he drank about 16 8-ounce cups of iced tea every day. Black tea has a chemical known to cause kidney stones or even kidney failure in excessive amounts.
"It was the only reasonable explanation," said Dr. Umbar Ghaffar of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock. She and two other doctors describe the case in Thursday's New England Journal of Medicine.
The unidentified man went to the hospital last May with nausea, weakness, fatigue and body aches. Doctors determined his kidneys were badly clogged and inflamed by the food chemical called oxalate. The man is on dialysis, perhaps for the rest of his life, Ghaffar said.
Besides black tea, oxalate is found in spinach, rhubarb, nuts, wheat bran and chocolate. In rare cases, too much oxalate can lead to kidney trouble, but often there's also a contributing intestinal problem. That didn't seem to be the case for the Arkansas man, and he had no family or personal history of kidney disease.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
But I know it if I have so much as a cup of tea. And I use to love my hot tea for break in the mornings.
Tea is weird stuff.
/johnny
“Uncle Si” better watch out!
In related news:
http://money.cnn.com/2015/01/15/media/duck-commander-lawsuit/
Appears you’re better off drinking green tea:
http://jonbarron.org/article/green-tea-prevents-kidney-stones
last stage kidney failure. start dialysis in a few months. no dr has ever told me anything about tea. i have some disease they don’t know how it begins.
I had a similar problem. I was drinking half a gallon of iced tea a day and then came the kidney stone: A 6mm x 10mm stone stuck in my ureter. Not fun.
I now drink one cup day and cut back on other foods that I like high in oxalates.
I typically drink about 3/4 of a gallon a day. Iced Japanese green tea with roasted rice. From the local Korean grocery store. No problemo!
Was it sweet or unsweetened tea?
That’s excessive, kind of like the lady who had kidney failure for drinking 2.2 gallons of Diet Coke in one day, or the other individual who got kidney stones from too much coffee. Some people have some gluttony issues with what they drink.
6 EASY WAYS TO PREVENT KIDNEY STONES
https://www.kidney.org/atoz/content/kidneystones_prevent
National Kidney Foundation
Did you know that one in ten people will have a kidney stone over the course of a lifetime? Recent studies have shown that kidney stone rates are on the rise across the country. Those in the know believe that some major misconceptions may be the culprit.
The National Kidney Foundation has teamed up with Dr. Allan Jhagroo, a kidney stone specialist at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, to help you stay stone-free by debunking some of the major kidney stone myths and misconceptions.
Here are the top 6 kidney stone prevention tips:
Don’t Underestimate Your Sweat.
Saunas, hot yoga and heavy exercise may be good for your health, but they also may lead to kidney stones. Why? Loss of water through sweating - whether due to these activities or just the heat of summer—leads to less urine production. The more you sweat, the less you urinate, which allows for stone-causing minerals to settle and bond in the kidneys and urinary tract.
Instead: Hydrate with H2O. One of the best measures you can take to avoid kidney stones is to drink plenty of water, leading you to urinate a lot. So, be sure to keep well hydrated, especially when engaging in exercise or activities that cause a lot of sweating.
It’s Not Just the Oxalate.
Oxa-what? Oxalate is naturally found in many foods, including fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, grains, legumes, and even chocolate and tea. Some examples of foods that contain high levels of oxalate include: peanuts, rhubarb, spinach, beets, chocolate and sweet potatoes. Moderating intake of these foods may be beneficial for people who form calcium oxalate stones, the leading type of kidney stones. A common misconception is that cutting the oxalate-rich foods in your diet alone will reduce the likelihood of forming calcium oxalate kidney stones. While in theory this might be true, this approach isn’t smart from an overall health perspective. Most kidney stones are formed when oxalate binds to calcium while urine is produced by the kidneys.
Instead: Eat and drink calcium and oxalate-rich foods together during a meal. In doing so, oxalate and calcium are more likely to bind to one another in the stomach and intestines before the kidneys begin processing, making it less likely that kidney stones will form.
Calcium is Not the Enemy.
But it tends to get a bad rap! Most likely due to its name and composition, many are under the impression that calcium is the main culprit in calcium-oxalate stones. “I still see patients who wonder why they are getting recurring stones despite cutting down on their calcium intake,” said Dr. Jhagroo. “I’ve even had patients say that their doctors told them to reduce their calcium intake.” A diet low in calcium actually increases one’s risk of developing kidney stones.
Instead: Don’t reduce the calcium. Work to cut back on the sodium in your diet and to pair calcium-rich foods with oxalate-rich foods.
It’s Not One and Done.
Passing a kidney stone is often described as one of the most painful experiences a person can have, but unfortunately, it’s not always a one-time event. Studies have shown that having even one stone greatly increases your chances of having another. “Most people will want to do anything they can to ensure it doesn’t happen again,” said Dr. Jhagroo. “Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem to be the case that people make the changes they need to after their first stone event.” Research conducted by Dr. Jhagroo shows that those with kidney stones do not always heed the advice of their nephrologists and urinary specialists. About 15% of kidney stone patients didn’t take prescribed medications and 41% did not follow the nutritional advice that would keep stones from recurring.
Instead: Take action! Without the right medications and diet adjustments, stones can come back, and recurring kidney stones also could be an indicator of other problems, including kidney disease.
When Life Hands You Kidney Stones…
don’t fret. And as the saying goes, “make lemonade.” It’s important to consider dietary remedies alongside prescription medications. While it may seem easier to just take a pill to fix a medical problem, consider what lifestyle changes will also make a big impact on your health.
Instead: Next time you drive past a lemonade (or limeade) stand, consider your kidneys. Chronic kidney stones are often treated with potassium citrate, but studies have shown that limeade, lemonade and other fruits and juices high in natural citrate offers the same stone-preventing benefits. Beware of the sugar, though, because it can increase kidney stone risk. Instead, buy sugar-free lemonade, or make your own by mixing lime or lemon juice with water and using a sugar substitute if needed. “We believe that citrate in the urine may prevent the calcium from binding with other constituents that lead to stones,” said Dr. Jhagroo. “Also, some evidence suggests that citrate may prevent crystals that are already present from binding with each other, thus preventing them from getting bigger.”
Not All Stones are Created Equal.
In addition to calcium oxalate stones, another common type of kidney stones is uric acid stones. Red meat, organ meats, and shellfish have high concentrations of a natural chemical compound known as purines. “High purine intake leads to a higher production of uric acid and produces a larger acid load for the kidneys to excrete,” said Dr. Jhagroo. Higher uric acid excretion leads to lower overall urine pH, which means the urine is more acidic. The high acid concentration of the urine makes it easier for uric acid stones to form.
Instead: To prevent uric acid stones, cut down on high-purine foods such as red meat, organ meats, and shellfish, and follow a healthy diet that contains mostly vegetables and fruits, whole grains, and low fat dairy products. Limit sugar-sweetened foods and drinks, especially those that contain high fructose corn syrup. Limit alcohol because it can increase uric acid levels in the blood and avoid crash diets for the same reason..Eating less animal-based protein and eating more fruits and vegetables will help decrease urine acidity and this will help reduce the chance for stone formation.
I had kidney stones that had to be surgically removed. Doctor gave me instructions and one of them was to avoid tea, salt and soda. Haven’t had a tea or soda since the operation.
I had kidney stones that had to be surgically removed. Doctor gave me instructions and one of them was to avoid tea, salt and soda. Haven’t had a tea or soda since the operation.
Betcha it was “sweet tea”..a southern staple..therefore..it’s not the tea..it’s the sugar...that’s to blame
Interesting!
Don't move! I'll come around behind you and do a Heimlich Maneuver.
The rest of the article says, “Ghaffar didn’t know if the man drank sugar-sweetened iced tea.”
Us arkies do love our sweet tea
Well the upside is all those walks to the bathroom kept him in good shape otherwise!
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!
So... add calcium to your tea??
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