Will drinking milk lead to kidney stones?

There are rumors online that "calcium in milk can cause kidney stones" and "chronic kidney disease patients cannot drink milk", which are misunderstandings about milk. In fact, milk not only does not cause kidney stones, but is also an essential nutritional supplement for patients with chronic kidney disease.

The "Reference Intake of Dietary Nutrients for Chinese Residents" recommends a daily calcium intake of 800 milligrams for adults, and 1000 milligrams to 1200 milligrams for children and adolescents during their growth and development period.

The calcium content of every 100 milliliters of milk is about 110 milligrams. Drinking 300 to 500 milliliters of milk per day is equivalent to consuming about 330 to 550 milligrams of calcium.

According to the conventional recommended intake, excessive calcium intake does not increase the risk of kidney stones, and there is ample evidence to suggest that calcium in milk and dairy products is different from the "calcium" in calcium supplements and does not increase urinary calcium levels, thus not increasing the risk of kidney stones.

There are many types of kidney stones, including calcium salt stones, uric acid stones, cysteine stones, phosphate stones, carbonate stones, etc. Among them, calcium salt stones are the most common type of kidney stones, and calcium oxalate in calcium salt stones accounts for more than 80% of kidney stones. The key to the formation of calcium oxalate stones is not calcium, but oxalic acid. After reducing the intake of calcium in the diet, the intestines will absorb more oxalate, thereby increasing the risk of kidney stones. Therefore, consuming milk in the recommended amount not only does not increase the risk of kidney stones, but also helps to reduce the occurrence of kidney stones.

Dairy products are still essential nutritional supplements for chronic kidney disease. In recent years, the incidence of chronic kidney disease has been increasing worldwide. For many kidney patients, in addition to medication treatment, daily diet is also an important factor in delaying disease progression.

The Chinese Dietary Guidelines for Residents (2022) recommend that adults should consume at least 300 milliliters of milk per day. Kidney friends with stage 1-2 chronic kidney disease do not have strict restrictions on protein intake and can consume milk according to the recommended amount for the normal population; For kidney friends with chronic kidney disease stages 3-5 who have not yet started kidney replacement therapy, it is recommended to have a high-quality low protein diet, with a recommended daily intake of about 230 milliliters of milk.

Although milk is good, it is not suitable for everyone or all situations to drink. When the following situations occur, it is recommended to make personalized adjustments or consult a specialist physician for specific advice.

Milk or dairy product allergy: For kidney friends who are allergic to milk or dairy products, it is not recommended to drink milk or dairy products to avoid allergic reactions. High quality protein can be obtained through other foods, such as lean meat, eggs, soybeans, fish and shrimp.

Lactose intolerance: For kidney friends with lactose intolerance, drinking milk can cause diarrhea, abdominal pain, bloating, increased exhaust, etc. It can be adjusted to consume yogurt, soft milk, or low lactose dairy products to avoid lactose intolerance. Lactose intolerance can also be avoided or improved by supplementing probiotics, lactase, and other methods.

Hyperphosphatemia: Due to the high content of phosphorus in milk, kidney friends with hyperphosphatemia should control their intake of milk and drink 100 milliliters of milk every two to three days.

Edema: While milk supplements the body with rich nutrients, it is also a liquid that increases the bodys fluid intake. For kidney friends with edema or heart failure who need to strictly control their fluid intake, it should be clear that the amount of milk intake is equivalent to the amount of water consumed, and attention should be paid to controlling the total fluid intake, otherwise it will increase edema or heart burden. Normally, it is recommended that kidney friends drink no more than the range of "previous days urine volume+500 milliliters" per day. Specific advice can be sought from a specialist physician based on their actual situation.

Hyperlipidemia: Patients with hyperlipidemia are recommended to drink low-fat or skim milk, which can also provide rich high-quality protein, trace elements, and vitamins. Although some studies have not found any association between high-fat dairy products and risk factors such as cardiac metabolism, there is no clear evidence to suggest that high-fat dairy products and whole milk can improve hyperlipidemia. To be safe, it is still not recommended to consume high-fat dairy products.