The effect of high animal protein intake on the risk of calcium stone-formation in the urinary tract

Clin Sci (Lond). 1979 Sep;57(3):285-8. doi: 10.1042/cs0570285.

Abstract

1. Studies were carried out on six normal male subjects to determine the short-term effect of increasing the dietary consumption of animal protein on the urinary risk factors for stone-formation, namely, volume, pH, calcium oxalate, uric acid and glycosaminoglycans. 2. An increase of 34 g/day of animal protein in the diet significantly increased urinary calcium (23%) and oxalate (24%). Total urinary nitrogen increased by an average of 368 mmol/day. The accompanying increase in dietary purine (11 mmol of purine nitrogen/day) caused a 48% increase in the excretion of uric acid. 3. The overall relative probability of forming stones, calculated from a combination of the risk factors, was markedly increased (250%) throughout the period of high animal protein ingestion.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Animal Population Groups*
  • Animals
  • Calcium / metabolism*
  • Dietary Proteins / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Nitrogen / urine
  • Probability
  • Risk
  • Urinary Calculi / etiology*

Substances

  • Dietary Proteins
  • Nitrogen
  • Calcium