Although dietary factors are important for people who are prone to kidney stones, evidence that supplements may be able to treat or prevent stones is lacking.
The high prevalence of kidney stones in the general population has created a strong demand for supplements with potential for prevention or treatment. Unfortunately, some supplement companies have marked products for this purpose with little to no evidence of efficacy on kidney stones.
One paper published in 2020 surveyed the available supplements on two popular online supplement sellers, analyzing 27 products that contained 56 different ingredients. The product claims included dissolving kidney stones, preventing stone formation, and relieving symptoms of kidney stones. The authors noted that of the 56 ingredients assessed, only 9 had been studied in the context of kidney stones, and only 5 had any published evidence in support of their use. Additionally, two-thirds of the supplement products assessed either contained ingredients with conflicting evidence for their efficacy, or no evidence at all.[1]
References
- ^Koo K, Aro T, Matlaga BRBuyer Beware: Evidence-Based Evaluation of Dietary Supplements for Nephrolithiasis.J Endourol.(2020-Jun)