The Effect of Dietary Calcium and Vitamin D on Renal Stone Formation

Abstract

Up to 19% of men and 10% of women in the United States will form a kidney stone at some time and recurrence rates are as high as 20%–50% after 5 years. In Korea, some studies have shown that the incidence of kidney stones is as high as 30,000 per year, although the incidence has not increased significantly during the last decade. Calcium is very important for bone health, especially after middle age, and it is also an important factor in the formation of stones. Many studies have shown that ingestion of calcium during meals reduces the formation of stones. However, calcium supplements could reduce the risk of stone formations only when taken with meals. In the case of vitamin D, the intake of vitamin D did not increase the risk of stone formation. A large-scaled prospective study is needed. Key words: Calcium; Vitamin D; Nephrolithiasis