What are the types of kidney stones?
• Calcium oxalate stones are the most common. They tend to form when the urine is acidic, meaning it has a low pH. Some of the oxalate in urine is produced by the body. Calcium and oxalate in the diet play a part but are not the only factors that affect the formation of calcium oxalate stones. Dietary oxalate is an organic molecule found in many vegetables, fruits, and nuts. Calcium from bone may also play a role in kidney stone formation. • Calcium phosphate stones are less common. Calcium phosphate stones tend to form when the urine is alkaline, meaning it has a high pH. • Uric acid stones are more likely to form when the urine is persistently acidic, which may result from a diet rich in animal proteins and purines—substances found naturally in all food but especially in organ meats, fish, and shellfish. • Struvite stones result from infections in the kidney. Preventing struvite stones depends on staying infection free. Diet has not been shown to affect struvite stone formation. • Cy
