Reduce Your Risk of Kidney Stones With Light Exercise

December 24 2013

Reduce Your Risk of Kidney Stones With Light Exercise

Still need another reason to get off the couch and start exercising? According to a recent study performed by researchers the University of Washington, light exercise may reduce your risk of kidney stones by as much as 31%. Most doctors and medical practitioners have viewed kidney stones as being strictly kidney-related, but this new study suggests that the body’s overall health and physiology plays a key role in their development.

Kidney stones are believed to affect nearly 1 million Americans annually, with a lifetime incident rate of 10%. This means 1 in 10 adults will experience a kidney stone at some point in their life. The good news is that kidney stones typically pass on their own, without the need for medical assistance. The bad news is that they can be quite painful, leaving the individual incapacitated until it successfully passes.

The number of kidney stone cases has increases over the years, leaving many medical practitioners to questions what’s causing this new trend. But the answer to this question may now be solved, as the University of Washington’s study sheds some light on the link between poor or inadequate exercise and kidney stones.

The study analyzed data from nearly 84,000 women over the past 20 years. Researchers found that women who performed ‘light’ exercise (1-3 hours per week) experienced significantly reduced rates of kidney stones. Running 1 hour per week or jogging just 3 hours per week was enough to reduce the chance of kidney stones by 31% in women.

Researchers also noted the effect daily calorie consumption plays in kidney stone development. Women who consumed more than 2,200 calories on a daily basis experienced 41% higher levels of kidney stones. This is a staggering amount that should serve as a real eye opener to individuals with a poor diet.

“Nevertheless, conservative counseling for patients with stones often centers almost exclusively on diet, stressing increased fluid intake, normal dietary calcium, lower sodium, moderate protein and reduced dietary oxalate,” said Mayo Clinic’s Dr. John Lieske.

So, how can you protect yourself from kidney stones? Along with regular exercise, you should also step back and analyze your diet. Drinking sodas on a regular basis will naturally increase your chance of kidney stones, but drinking 1-2 cups of coffee will lower your chance. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle and being aware of the food/beverages you consume is key to preventing kidney stones.