What Are the Causes of Kidney Stones?
No one knows the exact causes of
kidney stones, and doctors can seldom explain why one person will get kidney stones and another person will not. However, kidney stone research has shown that people with certain risk factors are more likely than others to develop the condition. (A risk factor is anything that increases a person's chances of developing a disease.)
Some of the risk factors for kidney stones include:
- Age
- Gender
- Certain diets
- Family history
- Urinary tract infections and blockage of the urinary tract
- Kidney disease, such as cystic kidney disease
- Medical conditions, like gout
- Excess vitamin D intake
- Metabolic disorders, such as hyperparathyroidism
- Certain medications, such as diuretics, indinavir, or calcium-based antacids
- Inherited diseases, such as cystinuria, hyperoxaluria, hypercalciuria, or hyperuricosuria.
Kidney stones are more common in males and in people who are middle-aged.
While certain foods may promote stone formation, scientists do not believe that eating any specific food causes stones to form in people who are not susceptible to the condition.
(Click Kidney Stones and Diet for more information.)