Do I need to limit my calcium intake to avoid getting kidney stones?
Ask the doctor
Q. How much is a safe level of calcium to take daily so I do not get kidney stones?
A. As long as you are getting your calcium only through foods, you don't need to worry about dietary calcium causing kidney stones. In fact, be sure to take in food and drinks that are rich in calcium. Aim for at least 1,000 milligrams of calcium a day in your diet.
But you should avoid calcium supplements. High doses can cause kidney stones.
In addition to calcium in kidney stones, most stones also contain oxalate. In fact, it is the high amounts of oxalate in urine that cause calcium oxalate kidney stones to form.
Here's why diets rich in calcium help decrease formation of kidney stones. The dietary calcium binds to oxalate in the intestine. This helps lower the amount of oxalate that is absorbed. When less oxalate is absorbed, less is released in the urine. And fewer calcium oxalate stones can form.
Some good sources of calcium include:
- dairy products such as milk, cottage cheese, and cheese
- calcium-fortified orange juice
- calcium-fortified soy milk
- tofu
- broccoli
- sardines.
Also, people with calcium oxalate stones may need to limit the intake of oxalate-rich foods, such as
- peanuts
- rhubarb
- chocolate
- spinach
- Swiss chard
- beets
- sweet potatoes.
Image: © Tang Ming Tung/Getty Images
About the Author
Howard E. LeWine, MD, Chief Medical Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
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