Keto Diet and Kidney Stones | How can Ketogenesis Cause Kidney Stones? Explained by Dr. Robert Chan

[@DrRobertChan]

Did going on a Keto Diet make your kidney stones worse?

[@angelpullupaxi-arias8095]

Dr I'm come back from stones cirury and I want to keeping lifting weights at gym so what diet do u recommend for me? And thank u for makes amazing videos

[@L33tLady]

Hoo-boy yes indeedy! 2 cm....yep cm not mm....bad boy that had to get pew-pewed(laser) out haha. My whole body was starting to shut down as it was blocking everything and my other kidney was littered with smaller stones and apparently couldn't pick up the slack. Boy did my urologist yell at me in the ER when he found out I had been doing keto....good thing I was barely conscious🤣 I'm a chronic former so keto is definitely not for me. It definitely does work for weight loss though! Now I follow a moderately low carb/moderate animal protein/high low-oxalate vegetable diet. Spinach is the devil....big no-no for us chronic formers. Three litres of water with added lemon juice/acv a day. I also make sure to add some dairy with each meal, especially when I am having lots of green veggies. 130 pounds down since fall 2020. Still forming stones all the time, but they are passable without intervention so yay! Love your content!

[@aic7208]

Keto Yes because of what u explained, chocolate daily, too many nibbles of nuts, spinach in salads and Dehydration. I had 2mm stone, it passed with no dietary advice other than drink more water which is very good to reduce pain. Pain off and on for past 9 months then - I began choc, peanut butter 2 month binge ended up with 13mm stone in kidney exit now surgery needed to blast it, wait time 3months before surgery. So I stopped all choc, nuts, spinach, to low oxalate diet, included natural yoghurt. Keeping very low to no pain drinking much water often with squeeze lemon, keeping urine very pale in color. A little pain when urine is more yellow. Surgery in a couple of weeks to go but will be taking another CTscan before and hope to see improvement. Have u seen any improvement with big stones via change of diet, can they be broken down naturally, want to know?

[@orpheneus77]

I was advised to stop doing keto after a week of doing it after my uric acid (could be due to acidosis) skyrocketed. I'd prefer to be stone free than losing weight drastically with keto diet. Now I am looking at a different weight loss program for those kidney stones former like me. Any help/advice would be much appreciated.

[@lorric7791]

Why dont you tell us what to eat instead of meat Suffering with Kidney stones because of people like you promoting keto

[@prismak7607]

I think it's due to oxalates, which are a known cause of kidney stone. You see all the almonds at 1:07 ? . Those are full in oxalates and they are eaten too much in keto. Especially for some almond flour they use for keto bread.

[@slickwillie3376]

Yes that sounds correct. So many videos on YT fail to see this. They ignore the anecdotal evidence, but in the various comments as well as some videos, I see the correlation between carnivore and kidney stones. It took a year and a half for me to have kidney stone issues. So I'm switching to keto, 30-35% meat, 60-65% fat, 5-10% carbs. I'm adding the fresh lemon juice and the 1/2 body weight water formula. In addition, I'm also adding some electrolytes. Thanks for explaining this.

[@larissaopenheart]

Thank you! And stay away from spinach, as it has huge amounts of oxalate. You might want to do another video on oxalate, as it can be big in forming kidney stones. Maybe look up Sally Norton, she's an oxalate expert 🙏

[@DrRobertChan]

Great suggestion! Ill reach out to her...

[@tellitlikeitis5028]

Yes ! Oxalates are evil

[@barb6360]

Keto made me lose weight and have amazing energy. I stopped because of kidney stones. Also I couldn't sleep.

[@dustinryanfrilles7775]

Most of these diets are very punishing to the body, some are outright dangerous. For me, only Agoge diet showed good results and was easy to stick with.

[@didierduruisseau4395]

the agoge diet looks really good and easy to follow, thanks for sharing!

[@livewell453]

I love you dude Tysm!!!!!!!! Just had kidney stones after keto. Put on weight and I need to lose it whilst waiting on surgery. You’ve given me hope again. Thankyou.

[@stevegiguere2903]

I've been on a low carb/keto diet for 5 1/2 months. Posting this just after coming home from ER after passing a kidney stone. I think I'll try to start drinking more lemon juice!

[@SoggyJelly]

hey i’m having the SAME problem. do you have an update on your condition and have you had any other stones since ?

[@9ine9ine]

I can say with 100% certainty that my keto diet DID cause kidney stones: I had stones removed on the diet from my left kidney, and AFTER this removal surgery, while STILL on the keto diet, I formed massive uric acid kidney stones in less than one month’s time. The largest being 13 mm, which is huge. So that mammoth formed AFTER my surgery removal of all previous stones. It absolutely can happen. My urine was extremely acidic on this diet. Taking a medication of potassium citrate monohydrate and citric acid monohydrate aided in dissolving these stones, as seen on an ultrasound. Finally changing my diet completely is raising my urine pH naturally. For ME, this diet of meat (moderate protein, high fat, and very low carbs) proved to be only pure torture and ER visits after years of trying to make it work. Sucks

[@missiedavis4973]

So what do you eat now? It sounds like my husband is having the same problem as you, now that he's been on the Keto diet for a couple months, he's developing kidney stones. But what can he eat now?!

[@9ine9ine]

@@missiedavis4973 wow I’m so sorry to read that!! I know it’s awful. It’s been quite the journey for me. Ever since keto and carnivore I must have wrecked my kidneys because it’s been almost 2 years of problems for me, but I’m FINALLY improving. I tried eating a more balanced diet with very little meats, but even that didn’t help. No urologists or nephrologists have been able to figure me out. They insist on medication. I insist on no, and getting to the root issue. I have finallyyyy improved my urine pH on my own in the last month or so of 2 years of trial and error. So low urine pH is what caused my urine acid kidney stones. If I can keep my ph up around 7, they’ll dissolve away and not form again. I’ve tested every single urine for a year and a half and finally have some conclusions. So for me- 1. meat is actually perfectly ok for me as long as it’s not the bulk of my diet. 2. No rice or any grains. At all. They significantly lowered my ph to around 5 which forms stones 3. No citrus fruits. Despite what the internet says. They all make me acidic 4. Cantaloupe is very helpful 5. Sweet potato is REALLY helpful. One to 2 servings a day has been a game changer 6. No citric acid in processed foods. (It’s actually extremely common. And without potassium citrate- it immediately makes my urine acidic for a few cycles) 7. Canned foods sometimes lower my pH. There’s bacteria that is commonly formed on grains and canned foods. Perhaps this affects me, idk. 8. I avoid other things that commonly make urine acidic, like alcohol, etc. Why other ppl can eat these common foods and not get kidney stones leads me to think that keto and carnivore just really hurt my kidneys so badly that they’re ultra sensitive. My doctors couldn’t care less about my findings. They barely acknowledged this miracle info I discovered and said that medication is still there if I want it. 🙄 I don’t. I’m guessing that the helpful foods like sweet potato and cantaloupe contain vitamins and minerals that vastly improve my situation. Carrots have been helpful too. Considering they’re all orange, maybe it’s something in the betacarotene or I don’t know, I have yet to dive into that. Anyway, lot to read, sorry. BEST of luck!!!! Oh and all my blood tests for my kidneys came out good throughout the entire kidney stone fiasco. So I wouldn’t trust that info. Clearly something is wrong. But for me, it has more to do with my urine, although it’s no doubt tied to organ function

[@RobertoRiosbiz]

I had the same experience after a year of being on keto I ended up with extreme pain on the emergency room floor with kidney stones and I decided to go back to mostly plant-based diet and four times a year for the major holidays I enjoy a little meat with my family and friends.

[@odankiller9957]

@@RobertoRiosbizyou eat grains?

[@bmanrobinson4532]

​@9ine9ine did you see tiny little orange crystals in your urine? I done carnivore & 2 weeks in I noticed little orange crystals sink tk the bottom of my pee. I stopped and reintroduced carbs and some greens again. I'm just asking from your experience because j don't want to get a kidney stone. Also how are your kidneys now?

[@justme1778]

You’re right you can develop kidney stones on keto , I did. I have a small kidney stone but I have not been drinking enough water. I just wanna say keto is not only for weight loss. I am not overweight, I look fit and healthy,but keto is the only thing that’s helping me with some other issues

[@justme1778]

Not drinking enough water also I was eating so much oxalates containing foods like chocolate and spinach and crusiferous vegetables I was not consuming lot of meat

[@ryuugaminemikado8186]

@@justme1778 seems clear its the oxalates and not protein🤔 but yeah he said moderate protein i guess i agree

[@gwwasham]

The keto diet is not a high protein diet. It is a high fat diet. If one of your 3 macros is high the other two must be low.

[@soymuymuy]

I started the KETO diet a week ago and I got through a mild flu with headaches and such after a few days but now it burns when I pee and I have trouble going. It comes out little by little and I am sitting so I can just wait a while for it all to come out. At first I thought I had a UTI but after doing some research and the fact that I am T2 Diabetic coming off a poor diet and high sugar levels (that are now steady between 130 - 150) (I plan on getting them all the way down to sub 100 levels but it will take a month or so to get there I believe (I have done it before). I have never had issues with stones in my life but from what I read I may have built one up over time due to high sugar levels that was stuck to the side and now that I'm on KETO its deteriorating and causing my symptoms with the free flowing crystals that are probably cutting me and getting stuck in the "tube". I am currently 295lbs (was 303 when I started, profile pic is old haha). Should I really be drinking 150oz of water per day? Because Iam not drinking anywhere near that.... Even if you count coffee and tea (black) I'm probably at around 80oz a day.

[@DrRobertChan]

baby steps. i'd try to make it 128 oz first... good luck!

[@kentuckyburbon1777]

I always add app cider vinegar 1-2 tbs to my salads every day. ... “Bragg” unpasteurized is the one you should try and use. Also, cold water and lemon juice first thing in the morning. Also, keto isn’t high protein. I started out enjoying a large steak and salad but just naturally wanted less meat probably cause I was already “full” from eating macadamia nuts, cheese etc kzbin.info/www/bejne/oHvLk4CLr6h8pK8

[@jameskantor0459]

I developed kidney stones and bladder stones as well. Had the bladder stone been removed. I am dx with diabetes of three years. Never had kidney stones before I had diabetes. I am on a lower-carb diet of 60 total grams a day. This is to keep my blood glucose lower ( HbA1c 5.4%) , and to lower my weight, BMI 30.50. Can you do a video on diabetes and kidneys stones?

[@astralarchaeology5840]

After 2 weeks on Carnivore, I got a bad kidney infection. I was told the amino acids were scratching the inside of my kidneys, which allowed for infection to set-up...?? There was also trace amounts of blood found in the urinalysis. I'm done. Apparently my body isn't able to handle such extreme diets. After my appointment, I said to my mother, "well I guess the old adage is true...moderation in everything." And then you say exactly that here!

[@dianaverano7878]

You are right. I choose balanced diet to this day. As all minerals and macronutrients are satisfied by food guide/food pyramid. Per country this differs im terms of size of servings. USA has US FDA food guide. Asian food guide will definitely have smaller size. We have food pyramid in my southeast asian country Per day it is recommended to have Fresh Fruit: 2 - 3 servings Fresh vegetables: 3 servings (3 cups raw or 1.5 cups cooked) Fish, meat: 3 - 4 servings 1 serving: 1 piece fish Or 1 piece of 3 cm of meat (means maximum of 4 pieces of cm, this is small) 1 glass of milk 1 piece of egg Sugar: 5 to 8 servings 1 servings: 1 hard candy ( so per day is 5 to 8 candies maximum) Rice, bread, corn: 5 to 8 servings For people who want to lose weight, they could go for 5 servings

[@justjosie2550]

i did keto- yes it helps me with my weight loss but developed kidney stones, i undergone lithotripsy twice :(

[@DrRobertChan]

sorry to hear that. =(

[@carolinagurl22]

Me too. After 4 months on a keto diet, I developed an 8mm stone and had a lithotripsy procedure. The pain was horrible! I now drink loads of water mixed with lemon juice.

[@playnjane]

Just one thing.... You state that Ketogenic Diet is high fat, high protein, low carb way of eating. More accurately, it's high fat, moderate protein, and low carb.

[@DrRobertChan]

thanks for clarifying!

[@Mamasfarmhousekitchen]

I never had issues with kidney stones until AFTER I did keto. I also ate moderate protein. Not higher.

[@carolinagurl22]

Me too

[@antoniopalabrica8955]

Same

[@ofeliapinoliar9675]

Oxalate in nuts avocados some veges, not fatty meats.

[@Mamasfarmhousekitchen]

Keto isn't just 'fatty meats'.. my point was that the diet itself is high in oxalates and those promoting it (on pretty much every platform - books, YT, socials, articles, ect) don't give you that warning.

[@cootiebooboo]

I went a low carb diet to try to heal gut issues and set my a1c back to normal. I was so excited about trying new LC veggies that I forgot to check their oxalate levels. Plus, this particular diet restricted dairy (not keto) so I had very little calcium to bind the oxalates. Needless to say, I am nursing some rather large stones right now.

[@jameskantor0459]

How much water were you drinking?

[@cootiebooboo]

@@jameskantor0459 at least 60 oz per day, and my urine color was good if not a little too light.

[@Kevo911]

How was the stone-passing?

[@cootiebooboo]

@@Kevo911 Just had another ultrasound and I will be seeing my doc on Monday to find out the stones' progress and treatment. 9mm stones don't pass without intervention. Thank God the pain has been manageable. Thank you for asking.

[@Kevo911]

Glad to hear, I've been on very low carb keto for a month now and my right lower side by my kidney has an uncomfortable pain when I move or inhale deeply for the last 3 days and so I am hope it's nothing too serious

[@buzzweatherly5594]

Just got my first kidney stone I’ve been on keto diet for a year, never knew to watch my protein intake. I am finding out that too much protein is the number 1 cause of kidney stones! Wish I would have been told this sooner.

[@ratinhoembondeiro646]

What kind of stones do you have? Usually the main cause is dehydration. And if you have calcium oxalate, high oxalate food and lack of calcium in the digestive tracks are the main culprits. Though I think protein also has its aspect but I haven't dived much into it. There is this website kidneystonediet and they have a youtube channel. You really get good info on the mechanism of kidney stones and how to avoid them through diet as much as possible. Hope you're fine though now!

[@KapusatayoLynx]

So the people who gain their strength after doing keto diet is actually bad? Losing 70 pounds in 6 months is bad? Feeling better after losing 120 pounds doing keto with no medications afterwards is bad?

[@brandoblack3732]

That’s not sustainable. You know it deep down you will gain the weight back it’s just a matter of win. You hurt your long term health for a short term pleasure. What a fool

[@jreverie7018]

Thanks so much for making this. Before starting I had upward of 1000 kidney stones, I seem to be a factory for them. My ldl is very low and I have been vegan for a year. Seems like I need to drink a heap of water and lemon juice! :)

[@jreverie7018]

Subscribed

[@DrRobertChan]

Glad it was helpful! Good luck!

[@Dmwntkp99]

Extremely helpful, for carnivore diet gurus that don't mention this.

[@Jackie_M27]

I just started the keto diet 3 days ago and ran across a video that said keto can cause kidney stones. I already suffer from kidney stones and as per my last Urologist visit a month ago, he saw that I have some small ones right now, causing no harm. I am glad I came across your video and make sure I follow these 3 steps. Would you recommend that I also take the Potsssium Citrate supplement? I currently don't take any meds to prevent them. Thank you!

[@DrRobertChan]

I'd check with ur urologist about your specific scenario for the potassium citrate. in general, it does help with certain kidney stone types.

[@Jackie_M27]

@@DrRobertChan thank you Dr. Chan

[@arkangell63]

I'm sorry Dr Chan, but you're mistaken, the Ketogenic diet is NOT high protein, keto is a high (healthy) fat, moderate protein and very low carbohydrate way of eating. and even if it were high protein, what research are you citing that shows keto itself causes kidney stones? :) In addition what about those individuals that eat a carnivorous diet for years with no ill effects and generally improving their health. :)

[@DrRobertChan]

great point, thanks for pointing that out... i've never been on the keto diet myself, so I prob don't understand the nuances of keto it as well as you... vegetarians do live longer than meat eaters though... www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424127887324423904578523190441042514#:~:text=Vegetarians%20live%20longer%20than%20meat%2Deaters%2C%20according%20to%20a%20study,Church%20for%20almost%20six%20years.&text=Vegetarians%20in%20the%20study%20experienced%2012%25%20fewer%20deaths%20over%20the%20period.

[@jd01665]

​@@DrRobertChan Dr. Ken Berry has some other ideas: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fIGlcp6clKyJmMk Plants are not a solution. Many contain oxalates. It's better to consider a 90 day purge using beef only if you need to clean your system. If the product has ingredients in it, then it's been processed and probably has a required FDA label and if you trust the FDA for your food, you may want to reconsider. Try this instead - find a farm that can sell you food direct. Now, after you have food taken care of, learn to breathe. By breathing properly your body will become alkaline and regardless of whether you eat plant (personally I avoid), animal, or ferment your plants with bacteria before eating them (a good idea), you will be able to better control the pH of your body by breathing properly through your nose. For those that want to take a deep dive into dangers of plants look up Dr. Kevin Stock and find his PDF on dangers of a plant based diet. It can help you determine if your body is designed for minimal meat, or 100% meat. People on pure vegetables have to worry about deficiencies, so just be careful. Personally, I don't think one should need to buy plastic supplements. It can't be good for you or the environment to try veggies + supplements. As far as I know only meat is something that can be eaten year around without ever adding a single vegetable and have perfect health. Plants + bacteria can be a substitute for meat, but plants alone = problems... Keep it simple: Get Sun, Get Oxygen, Get Real Food (nothing with a label).

[@RobertoRiosbiz]

@@DrRobertChan Unfortunately the study were vegetarian live longer than meat eaters is a little off considering that a lot of the meat eaters in that study also smoke,drink and eat a lot of processed food with their meat. From all the research that I’ve done is very difficult to find a study done on meat eater that eat plants with their meat and avoid all processed foods.

[@eb6195]

Dr. Chan. I have gotten kidney stones 2-3 times. I didn't get them before I started doing keto. I have now been cutting down meat to 3-6 oz. per meal and only eat non starchy vegies & salads, and healthy fats (olive oil, mct, avocado oil for cooking. I have been try to keep my water intake at 3 liters or more. Even drinking a blender drink of 2qts. water, lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon of magnesium citrate, 1/4 teaspoon of potassium citrate, clove of garlic & 4 celery sticks. Yet I still got another kidney stone a few days ago. Luckily this one was pain free. When tested before they were uric acid stones, not oxalate based stones. Is there something else I could be doing? Was it a stone that already formed and then when I was fasting it somehow released? How long does it take a kidney stone to form? Thanks!

[@bmanrobinson4532]

Hi, do you have an update? Do you still get them?

[@GodfreyMann]

Poorly informed MD. A well-formulated ketogenic diet does not have high protein, it has whatever is appropriate for the goals of the individual. E.g. if they want to lower their protein as part of a longevity drive as recommended by Valter Longo in his Fasting Mimicking Diet, then he recommends 0.7g/kg body mass, then that’s possible on a ketogenic diet. If they just want to maintain their current muscle mass then 0.8-1.2g/kg body mass is a good starting point depending on their age (older people need more protein). If their goal is to build muscle with resistance exercise, then more protein is appropriate e.g. 1.5-2g/kg. Elite athletes can have as much as 2.5-3g/kg. All these amounts of protein are consistent with a ketogenic diet.

[@troyezell5841]

Then tell me how the Inuit people survive?

[@ronaldpobuda835]

Bogus information _ meat is not the problem.

[@jameskantor0459]

@ Dr Chan and all, how do you feel about taking magnesium citrate to add citrate .

[@DrRobertChan]

anything with citrate in it can be helfpul. check out this article pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17509313/

[@originalbiblestudywithJael]

We can eat coconut and avocado as fat intake instead of meat.

[@NewParentsInTraining]

It's always good to have a balanced diet~! thanks for sharing!

[@22640cal]

I had urid acid and calcium stones.... too much meats and dairy.My urologist shudders at the keto diet. It’s definitely not for me, I’m mostly plant based with the occasional meats and dairy

[@brewtality_]

Do it vegan instead to maintain blood PH balance, which equals not stones to form. Cut out alcohol and coffee too.

[@22640cal]

@@brewtality_ that's what I do 🌱 only 1 cup of coffee a day plus a gallon of water :)

[@jiongc]

Hi Dr Chan, thank you for the informative vid. Do you think it's just the animal protein in keto diet that causes kidney stones or does ketosis itself somehow cause kidney stones directly? I ask this because I actually can't stand keto diet, so I use Dr Jason Fung's 48-hour water fasting method to get into ketosis. I eat normally on the other 5 days of the week. If keto diet is the culprit, then it seems that fasting would be best way to get into ketosis?

[@DrRobertChan]

I think being in ketosis does make one's body excrete more calcium in the urine. the animal protein would be a double whammy.

[@bubbleone6526]

I don’t know. You are the first doctor (?) I’ve heard say meat will cause kidney stones! Which meat products cont Oxalates? Keto diet is full of foods high in Oxalates. I’m pretty much carnivore diet. I’ve been plague by stones for years but it got worse on keto. Carnivore is great but I miss veggies besides asparagus and broccoli.

[@JBrimBloodG]

wouldn't it be bad for a person on a keto diet to include citrus fruits that are high in sugar?

[@Woolybullygooniesonny]

Dr chan whenever i stop my. Keto diet inget. Dry eyes mucus formation and extreme fatigue. I want to know if keto damages the kidney and what isnthe healthiest diet? Vegetarian inalways wanted to be but...

[@captianamerica3531]

Dr chan it's an emergency case and I request if you're reading this you'll help me for sure. My father has a multiple health issues, which are :- diabetes, liver infection and kidney stones (8 mm) And his condition has been bad. I gave him keto diet and removed every grains from his diet to make sure he'll recover. But few days ago he got kidney stones report. Please Dr. Chan tell me what'll be the best diet for him.🙏

[@DrRobertChan]

sounds like your dad's medical conditions are probably a little bit too complicated for me to really comment on. i would check in with your dad's urologist who knows his other health conditions to get a really individualized recommendation

[@captianamerica3531]

@@DrRobertChan can we have an online appointment?

[@sarajohn6855]

Thank you. What’s your opinion on coffee?

[@bmanrobinson4532]

Hi, I got a question, I went to carnivore, and on week 2, I started noticing tiny orange crystals in my urine. I think they are uric acid crystals from a diet high in protein (and yes, I got enough fat). Also, there is pain in my kidney when I move. I don't want to get a kidney stone, so what do I do?

[@samilaaksonen7807]

How long u had these pains. I was a month carnivore and developed gout and kidney pain that has been last for 2 years

[@RobertSantos-rw8dy]

Thanks for the information prevention of KS while in the keto diet..

[@DrRobertChan]

You're welcome. Thanks for watching!

[@rodolfoalmonia6617]

Thanks Doc.

[@DrRobertChan]

Very welcome

[@pabeader1941]

Low carb doesn't cause stones. It dissolves them. Sometimes they get just small enough to get loose and then you get the pain. Most of the time they get so small they pass without you even knowing.

[@peggyharicharan1928]

Tank you

[@atengghie9044]

Hello doc pwd po b magpaonline consultation?

[@joshmoroz8465]

This information is gold thank you 👈🙌

[@DrRobertChan]

Glad it was helpful!

[@giosarranable]

Damn I thank I got them smh

[@pinakanaroja7521]

😑😑😑😑

[@steffpeeters7609]

Biased video.

[@carlosjohn2955]

.......

[@bolivianbillionaire1349]

this guy be a sensationalist about kidney stones i think. has no idea about the diet

[@Mrken0_05]

Oh