Halloween is the time for ghosts, ghouls, and goblins. But you know what’s scarier than any Halloween horror flick? Kidney stones.
Kidney stones often cause pain so severe that they send their victims to the emergency room to find out what is wrong.
What are these malevolent maladies?
Kidney stones are hard masses that form in the kidneys because of an overabundance of minerals, salts, and other waste in the urine. The most common stones are from calcium or uric acid:
- Calcium stonescan have genetic or metabolic causes. They can also be linked to foods with oxalates (found in some nuts, legumes, and dark leafy greens) and sodium and animal proteins.
- Uric acid stonestypically form in people who eat a lot of animal proteins (red meat, poultry, eggs), those who are dehydrated or lose too much fluid due to diarrhea, and those with diabetes or metabolic syndrome.
Symptoms of kidney stones include severe pain on either side of the back, blood in the urine, and nausea due to the pain.
Why could trick-or-treat trigger stones?
What you eat and drink can trigger the formation of kidney stones. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but recent research indicates that candy can contribute to kidney stones.
A study released by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey found that the more sugar we eat, the greater our chances of developing these painful little formations. How much sugar?
People who get more than 25% of their total calories from added sugars are at an 88% higher risk of developing kidney stones than those who take less than 5% of their calories from added sugars.
For context, the USDA’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025 advise that all added sugars should account for less than 10% of total calories.
Added sugars reduce the amount of urine our bodies produce, resulting in higher levels of urinary calcium. Added sugars can also lead to other health problems that are known contributors to stone formation – diabetes and obesity among them.
Kidney stones are a common condition in the U.S., affecting up to nine percent of the population and resulting in a half-million emergency room visits every year. Your risk of being among those could depend on various factors. Adult males are slightly more likely than women to develop stones. Health conditions, including chronic diarrhea, dehydration, inflammatory bowel disease, high blood pressure, and gout, also can raise chances.
When it comes to the effects of added sugar, the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey indicated that Native Americans and Asians are more likely to develop kidney stones when eating large amounts, compared with Hispanic, non-Hispanic White, and non-Hispanic Black people.
Lastly, those who have had stones, even just one, are 50% more likely to develop more in the following five to seven years.
How many fun-sized candy bars should I eat this Halloween?
So, how much sugar is safe to eat to avoid stones?
The American Heart Association recommends that adult males consume no more than 36 grams of sugar daily, or nine teaspoons, which equals about 150 calories. Women and children should strive for no more than 25 grams (6 teaspoons) or 100 calories.
For context, a 1.86-ounce Snickers candy bar contains 28 grams of sugar, and a bag of Skittles has 45 grams.
So, try to limit yourself to one fun-size candy bar daily. Better yet, balance that with an apple and a glass or two of water.
Advanced Urology Institute offers state-of-the-art outpatient treatments for the care of kidney stones. You can learn more about our treatments here.