Calcium oxalate. Calcium oxalate is a chemical compound that forms envelope-shaped crystals, known in plants as raphides. A major constituent of human kidney stones, the chemical is also found in beerstone, a scale that forms on containers used in breweries. Its chemical formula is CaC2O4 or Ca (COO)2.
What foods have high oxalate content?
High oxalate fruits include many berries, including blackberries, blueberries, raspberries and strawberries. Red or purple grapes also tend to contain a high level of oxalates. Plums, currants, kiwis and tangerines also top the list for high-oxalate foods. According to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, you will also find high levels ...
Is calcium oxalate an acid or base or salt?
Calcium oxalate is a combination of calcium ions and the conjugate base of oxalic acid, the oxalate anion. Its aqueous solutions are slightly basic because of the basicity of the oxalate ion. The basicity of calcium oxalate is weaker than that of sodium oxalate, due to its lower solubility in water. Why are oxalates insoluble?
What fruit is high in oxalate?
Many fruits contain some oxalates, like avocados, oranges, and grapefruit, but raspberries are considered a high-oxalate food with 48 milligrams per cup. Dates are highly nutritious dried fruits often used as a sweetener in cooking and baking.
Does oxalate enhance calcium absorption?
The high oxalate content in spinach, for example, can inhibit calcium absorption. But studies have found that if you eat the recommended daily amount of calcium, this effect isn’t seen. The take-home is that the calcium to oxalate ratio is more important than the high levels of oxalate.
See more
Is calcium oxalate in urine normal?
The normal level of urine oxalate excretion is less than 50 milligrams per day (mg/day). A higher level of urine oxalate may mean you are at risk of developing kidney stones. Risk of stone formation seems to increase even at levels above 25 mg/day, which is considered a normal level.
What causes calcium oxalates?
Eating too many foods high in protein can cause stones to form. Eat less salt (sodium). A diet high in salt (sodium) causes calcium to build in your urine. Too much calcium in your urine can lead to new stones.
What does calcium oxalate do to humans?
An excess amount of oxalate can combine with calcium in the urine and cause kidney stones and crystals to form. Recurrent kidney stones and crystals can damage the kidney and lead to kidney failure.
What calcium oxalate means?
Calcium oxalate crystals are the most common cause of kidney stones — hard clumps of minerals and other substances that form in the kidneys. These crystals are made from oxalate — a substance found in foods like green, leafy vegetables — combined with calcium.
What foods cause high calcium oxalate?
Some examples of foods that contain high levels of oxalate include: peanuts, rhubarb, spinach, beets, chocolate and sweet potatoes. Moderating intake of these foods may be beneficial for people who form calcium oxalate stones, the leading type of kidney stones.
Can calcium oxalate be cured?
Prescription doses of vitamin B-6 can be effective in reducing oxalate in the urine in some people with primary hyperoxaluria. Oral preparations of phosphates and citrate help prevent the formation of calcium oxalate crystals.
What removes oxalates from body?
Oxalates bind with calcium in the digestive tract and are excreted out of the body through the urine ( 1 ). Furthermore, consuming high amounts of oxalates could contribute to the formation of kidney stones, especially if urine volume is low ( 1 ).
How can I reduce calcium in my urine?
To lower the calcium level in your urine, your healthcare provider might suggest that you eat more vegetables and fruits and less animal products, like red meat and eggs. If you're an older adult, your provider may recommend that you add more potassium and reduce the amount of salty foods in your diet.
Which medicine is best for calcium oxalate stone?
Your doctor may prescribe a thiazide diuretic, which can reduce the amount of calcium released into the urine. These include hydrochlorothiazide, chlorthalidone, or indapamide, all of which help to prevent kidney stones from returning, especially in people who have high levels of calcium in the urine.
Is calcium oxalate a kidney stone?
Calcium stones: Most kidney stones are composed of calcium and oxalate. Many people who form calcium containing stones have too much calcium in their urine, a condition known as hypercalciuria There are several reasons why hypercalciuria may occur.
How do you get rid of calcium in the kidneys?
They may suggest medicines and supplements that can help reduce abnormal levels of calcium in your blood and urine. Your healthcare provider may also recommend kidney stone treatments to get rid of calcium deposits in your kidneys. They may prescribe a diuretic to help prevent future calcification.
What are the symptoms of high oxalates?
High oxalate symptoms may include:Recurring kidney stones.Grainy-looking stools.Cloudy urine.Gum inflammation.Swollen, achy joints.Mottled skin.Poor circulation.Bone pain.More items...•
How do you flush calcium oxalates from your body?
Drinking plenty of water to help your body flush oxalates out. Consuming enough calcium, which binds to oxalates during digestion. Limiting sodium and sugar intake, which may contribute to kidney stones at high levels. Getting the recommended amounts of vitamin C — too much can increase oxalic acid production in your ...
What causes high oxalates in the body?
Oxalate is a natural chemical in your body, and it's also found in certain types of food. But too much oxalate in your urine can cause serious problems. Hyperoxaluria can be caused by inherited (genetic) disorders, an intestinal disease or eating too many oxalate-rich foods.
How do you get rid of calcium oxalate stones?
Drug therapyThiazide diuretics. Thiazide diuretics (e.g., hydrochlorothiazide, chlorthalidone and indapamide) have been proven in RCTs to be effective in reducing calciuria and stone recurrence. ... Alkalinizing agents. Citrate inhibits the formation and growth of calcium crystals. ... Allopurinol. ... Fish oil.
How do you neutralize calcium oxalate in food?
Because oxalates are water soluble, they can be reduced by blanching, boiling, or steaming with the liquid discarded. Fermentation reduces oxalates. Cooking in milk or macerating in whey can also mitigate oxalate exposure.
Where does oxalate come from?
Oxalate comes from many of the foods in our diet. The main dietary sources of oxalate are: When you eat these foods, your GI tract breaks them down and absorbs the nutrients. The leftover wastes then travel to your kidneys, which remove them into your urine. The waste from broken-down oxalate is called oxalic acid.
How to prevent calcium oxalate from forming in urine?
You can prevent calcium oxalate from forming crystals in your urine and avoid kidney stones by following these tips: Drink extra fluids. Some doctors recommend that people who’ve had kidney stones drink 2.6 quarts (2.5 liters) of water each day. Ask your doctor how much fluid is right for you.
What causes kidney stones?
Calcium oxalate crystals are the most common cause of kidney stones — hard clumps of minerals and other substances that form in the kidneys. These crystals are made from oxalate — a substance found in foods like green, leafy vegetables — combined with calcium. Having too much oxalate or too little urine can cause the oxalate to crystalize ...
Why does oxalate come out of urine during pregnancy?
During pregnancy, blood flow increases to nourish your growing baby. More blood gets filtered through your kidneys, which causes more oxalate to be removed into your urine. Even though the risk of kidney stones is the same during pregnancy as it is during other times of your life, extra oxalate in your urine can promote stone formation.
How do you know if you have kidney stones?
What are the symptoms? Kidney stones may not cause symptoms until they start to move through your urinary tract. When stones move, the pain can be intense. The main symptoms of calcium oxalate crystals in the urine are: pain in your side and back that can be intense, and may come in waves. pain when you urinate.
What to do if you have calcium oxalate stones?
Find out what changes you should make to your diet to prevent these stones from forming again. Last medically reviewed on February 2, 2018.
How long does it take to get oxalate in urine?
Urine test. Your doctor may request a 24-hour urine sample to check levels of oxalate in your urine. You’ll have to collect your urine throughout the day for 24 hours. A normal urine oxalate level is less than 45 milligrams (mg) per day.
What foods can cause hypocalcemia?
Relatively early signs of hypocalcemia are a positive trousseau's sign and a positive chvostek's sign. Dietary sources of calcium include dairy products (such as milk and cheese), soybeans, fortified orange juice, dark green leafy vegetables (such as mustard greens and broccoli), sardines, clams, and oysters.
What is the term for a condition where the level of calcium is elevated above normal?
Hypercalcemia:This is when the level of serum calcium rises above normal; neuromuscular activity begins to diminish. Symptoms include lethargy, muscle weakness (which, as the level of calcium increases, can progress to depressed reflexes and hypotonic muscles), constipation, mental confusion, and coma. The heartbeat also slows, which potentiates the effects of digitalis.
What happens when calcium levels drop?
Hence, as the calcium level continues to drop, the patient begins to experience muscle twitching and cramping, grimacing, and carpopedal spasm, which can quickly progress to tetany, laryngospasm, convulsions, cardiac arrhythmias, and eventually to respiratory and cardiac arrest.
What is the term for a serum level of calcium that is below normal?
Hypocalcemia: This is a serum level of calcium that is below normal; it is manifested by increased neuromuscular irritability. When there is a deficit of ionized calcium, the nerve cells become more permeable, allowing leakage of sodium and potassium from the cells.
What percentage of calcium is ionized?
Another 47 per cent of plasma calcium is ionized. About 6 per cent is complexed with phosphate, citrate, and other anions. Ionized calcium is physiologically active. One of its most important physiological functions is control of the permeability of cell membranes.
What is the most abundant mineral in the body?
calcium . a chemical element, atomic number 20, atomic weight 40.08. (See Appendix 6.) Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body. In combination with phosphorus it forms calcium phosphate, the dense, hard material of the bones and teeth. It is an important cation in intracellular and extracellular fluid and is essential to ...
Why is calcium important for osteoporosis?
Since calcium is essential to the formation and maintenance of strong bones, an adequate intake is important in the prevention of osteoporosis.
What is the oxalate in urine?
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 ion found in many vegetables, fruits, and nuts. Calcium from bone may also play a role in kidney stone formation.
What is the mineral that is found in beerstone?
Calcium oxalates are a major constituent of human kidney stones. Calcium oxalate is also found in beerstone, a scale that forms on containers used in breweries .
What is the crystal shape of calcium oxalate?
Urine microscopy showing several calcium oxalate monohydrate crystals (dumbbell shaped, some of them clumped) and a calcium oxalate dihydrate crystal (envelope shaped) along with several erythrocytes.
What is calcium oxalate used for?
Calcium oxalate is used in the manufacture of ceramic glazes.
What is the most common form of kidney stones?
Calcium oxalate crystals in the urine are the most common constituent of human kidney stones, and calcium oxalate crystal formation is also one of the toxic effects of ethylene glycol poisoning .
Why is calcium oxalate weaker than sodium oxalate?
The basicity of calcium oxalate is weaker than that of sodium oxalate, due to its lower solubility in water.
What is beerstone made of?
Beerstone is composed of calcium and magnesium salts and various organic compounds left over from the brewing process; it promotes the growth of unwanted microorganisms that can adversely affect or even ruin the flavour of a batch of beer.
Who is at risk for calcium oxalate stones?
Certain risk factors may cause your body to form calcium oxalate stones. These risk factors include:
How can I lower my chances of forming calcium oxalate stones?
Drink enough fluids. The number one thing you can do is to drink enough fluids, like water. Drinking enough fluids will thin out your urine and make it harder for chemicals to build up and form crystals. Your healthcare provider will look at your overall health, diet, and lifestyle and recommend the right amount of fluid you should have each day.
How to avoid too much calcium in urine?
This will help avoid having too little or too much calcium in your body. Avoid vitamin C supplements. Talk to your healthcare provider before taking vitamin C supplements. Too much vitamin C can cause high amounts of oxalate in the urine. Eat less oxalate-rich foods.
What happens when you have too much waste in too little liquid?
If there is too much waste in too little liquid, crystals can begin to form. These crystals may stick together and form a solid mass (a kidney stone). Oxalate is one type of substance that can form crystals in the urine. This can happen if there is too much oxalate, too little liquid, and the oxalate “sticks” to calcium while urine is being made by ...
What happens when you eat too much oxalate?
Oxalate is a natural substance found in many foods. Your body uses food for energy. After your body uses what it needs, waste products travel through the bloodstream to the kidneys and are removed through urine. Urine has various wastes in it. If there is too much waste in too little liquid, crystals can begin to form. These crystals may stick together and form a solid mass (a kidney stone). Oxalate is one type of substance that can form crystals in the urine. This can happen if there is too much oxalate, too little liquid, and the oxalate “sticks” to calcium while urine is being made by the kidneys.
What is the most common type of kidney stone?
Calcium oxalate stones are the most common type of kidney stone. Kidney stones are solid masses that form in the kidney when there are high levels of calcium, oxalate, cystine, or phosphate and too little liquid. There are different types of kidney stones. Your healthcare provider can test your stones to find what type you have.
Why is calcium important for kidney stones?
Calcium is needed to bind with oxalate and leave the body) It is important to know that kidney stones are more common if you have Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). These conditions affect your body’s ability to absorb fats properly.
How to prevent calcium oxalate from forming in urine?
You can prevent calcium oxalate from forming crystals in your urine and avoid kidney stones by following these tips: – Drink extra fluids. Some doctors recommend that people who’ve had kidney stones drink 2.6 quarts (2.5 liters) of water each day. Ask your doctor how much fluid is right for you.
How do you know if you have calcium oxalate in your urine?
The main symptoms of calcium oxalate crystals in the urine are: – pain in your side and back that can be intense, and may come in waves. – pain when you urinate. – blood in your urine, which can look red, pink, or brown. – cloudy urine.
What causes calcium oxalate crystals in urine?
The formation of calcium oxalate crystals can be caused by a combination of factors including decreased urine volume or a diet rich in oxalates (cabbage, rhubarb, spinach, tropical fruits, etc.) or calcium (dairy products). They are also found in individuals with calcium levels ...
What is the waste from broken down oxalate?
The leftover wastes then travel to your kidneys, which remove them into your urine. The waste from broken-down oxalate is called oxalic acid. It can combine with calcium to form calcium oxalate crystals in the urine.
How does a doctor remove a kidney stone?
In this procedure, your doctor passes a thin scope with a camera on the end through your bladder and into your kidney. Then the stone is either removed in a basket or broken up first with a laser or other tools and then removed. The surgeon may place a thin plastic tube called a stent in the ureter to hold it open and allow urine to drain while you heal.
How to get rid of stones in urine?
A high-sodium diet can increase the amount of calcium in your urine, which can help stones form. – Watch your protein intake. Protein is essential to a healthy diet, but don’t overdo it. Too much of this nutrient can cause stones to form. Make protein less than 30 percent of your total daily calories.
What is the best way to get rid of kidney stones?
Your doctor can also prescribe an alpha-blocker. These drugs relax your ureter to help the stone pass from your kidney more quickly.
Who is at risk for calcium oxalate stones?
Certain individuals are more likely to develop kidney stones than others. While some may be due to genetic reasons, most tend to be caused by modifiable lifestyle and dietary habits. The following are some of the most common risk factors for the development of calcium oxalate kidney stones:
What are the most common causes of calcium oxalate in kidney stones?
The following are some of the most common risk factors for the development of calcium oxalate kidney stones: Inflammatory bowel diseases – ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease, both conditions lead to improper absorption of fat that binds to calcium, leaving behind excessive amounts of oxalate.
How to tell if you have calcium oxalate kidney stones?
The following are some signs that may present in those suffering from calcium oxalate kidney stones: Severe pain in the side and back (flank) Radiating pain to the lower abdomen and groin. Pain waves that fluctuate in intensity. Pain on urination. Pink, red, or brown colored urine.
How do you know if you have kidney stones?
Having kidney stones may not cause any symptoms at all until it moves around your kidney or passes into the ureter, the tube that carries urine from the kidney to the urinary bladder. It is usually at this point when a kidney stone will cause symptoms. The following are some signs that may present in those suffering from calcium oxalate kidney stones: 1 Severe pain in the side and back (flank) 2 Radiating pain to the lower abdomen and groin 3 Pain waves that fluctuate in intensity 4 Pain on urination 5 Pink, red, or brown colored urine 6 Cloudy – or foul-smelling urine 7 Nausea and vomiting 8 Increased urge to urinate 9 Increased frequency of urination 10 Fever and chills if an infection is present 11 Urinating small amounts
How to reduce calcinuria?
Reduce sodium intake : Reductions in dietary sodium is known to reduce calcinuria. It is recommended to reduce sodium intake to less than 2g per day. Reduce protein intake: Animal protein can have an adverse effect on urinary chemistries, lowering citrate execration and increasing calcium and uric acid excretion.
What happens when you eat calcium?
Eating foods high in calcium cause the minerals to combine with salt of oxalic acid (oxalate) in the large intestine, combining to form calcium oxalate. When this occurs, the new compound becomes less soluble and has difficulty being excreted through the kidney when entering the urinary tract system. While most people have no problems urinating ...
What foods cause excessive oxalate in urine?
Oxalate-rich foods include beets, chocolate, nuts, rhubarb, spinach, strawberries, tea, and wheat bran.
Examples of oxalate in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web In general, veggie burgers do tend to be high to very high in oxalate. — Dr. Keith Roach, oregonlive, 25 Nov. 2021 The rare disorder — called primary hyperoxaluria type 1 — causes a buildup of oxalate in the body, which when not filtered properly can cause kidney and bladder stones.
Medical Definition of oxalate
Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!
What are calcium oxalate crystals?
- Calcium oxalate crystals are the most common cause of kidney stones — hard clumps of minera…
Kidney stones can be very painful. They can also cause complications like urinary tract infections. But they are often preventable with a few dietary changes.
Where does oxalate come from?
- Oxalate comes from many of the foods in our diet. The main dietary sources of oxalate are:
•spinach and other green, leafy vegetables - •rhubarb
•wheat bran
What are the symptoms?
- Kidney stones may not cause symptoms until they start to move through your urinary tract. Whe…
The main symptoms of calcium oxalate crystals in the urine are: - •pain in your side and back that can be intense, and may come in waves
•pain when you urinate
What causes calcium oxalate crystals?
- Urine contains chemicals that normally prevent oxalate from sticking together and forming crysta…
•not drinking enough fluids (being dehydrated) - •eating a diet that’s too high in oxalate, protein, or salt
In other cases, an underlying disease causes the crystals to form into stones. You’re more likely to get calcium oxalate stones if you have:
How are they diagnosed?
- Your doctor might use these tests to find out if you have calcium oxalate stones:
•Urine test. Your doctor may request a 24-hour urine sample to check levels of oxalate in your urine. You’ll have to collect your urine throughout the day for 24 hours. A normal urine oxalate level is less than 45 milligrams (mg) per day. - •Blood test. Your doctor can test your blood for the gene mutation that causes Dent disease.
•Imaging tests. An X-ray or CT scan can show stones in your kidney.
What happens during pregnancy?
- During pregnancy, blood flow increases to nourish your growing baby. More blood gets filtered t…
Kidney stones can cause complications during pregnancy. Some studies have shown that stones increase the risks for miscarriage, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, and a cesarean delivery. - During pregnancy, imaging tests like a CT scan or X-ray may not be safe for your baby. Your do…
Up to 84 percent of stones pass on their own during pregnancy. About half of the stones that don’t pass during pregnancy will pass after delivery.
What’s the treatment?
- Small stones may pass on their own without treatment in about four to six weeks. You can help f…
Your doctor can also prescribe an alpha-blocker like doxazosin (Cardura) or tamsulosin (Flomax). These drugs relax your ureter to help the stone pass from your kidney more quickly. - Pain relievers such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and acetaminophen (Tylenol) can help relieve yo…
If the stone is very large or it doesn’t pass on its own, you may need one of these procedures to remove it:
How can you prevent calcium oxalate crystals?
- You can prevent calcium oxalate from forming crystals in your urine and avoid kidney stones by …
•Drink extra fluids. Some doctors recommend that people who’ve had kidney stones drink 2.6 quarts (2.5 liters) of water each day. Ask your doctor how much fluid is right for you. - •Limit the salt in your diet. A high-sodium diet can increase the amount of calcium in your urine, …
•Watch your protein intake. Protein is essential to a healthy diet, but don’t overdo it. Too much of this nutrient can cause stones to form. Make protein less than 30 percent of your total daily calories.
What to do now
- If you’ve had calcium oxalate stones in the past, or you have symptoms of stones, see your primary care doctor or a urologist. Find out what changes you should make to your diet to prevent these stones from forming again.
Overview
Calcium oxalate (in archaic terminology, oxalate of lime) is a calcium salt of oxalic acid with the chemical formula CaC2O4. It forms hydrates CaC2O4·nH2O, where n varies from 1 to 3. Anhydrous and all hydrated forms are colorless or white. The monohydrate CaC2O4·H2O occurs naturally as the mineral whewellite, forming envelope-shaped crystals, known in plants as raphides. T…
Occurrence
Many plants accumulate calcium oxalate as it has been reported in more than 1000 different genera of plants. The calcium oxalate accumulation is linked to the detoxification of calcium (Ca ) in the plant. Upon decomposition, the calcium oxalate is oxidised by bacteria, fungi, or wildfire to produce the soil nutrient Calcium carbonate.
The poisonous plant dumb cane (Dieffenbachia) contains the substance and on ingestion can pr…
Chemical properties
Calcium oxalate is a combination of calcium ions and the conjugate base of oxalic acid, the oxalate anion. Its aqueous solutions are slightly basic because of the basicity of the oxalate ion. The basicity of calcium oxalate is weaker than that of sodium oxalate, due to its lower solubility in water. Solid calcium oxalate hydrate has been characterized by X-ray crystallography. It is a coordination polymer. featuring planar oxalate anions linked to calcium, which also has water liga…
Medical significance
Calcium oxalate can produce sores and numbing on ingestion and may even be fatal.
The monohydrate and dihydrate can be distinguished by the shape of the respective crystals.
• Calcium oxalate dihydrate crystals are octahedral. A large portion of the crysta…
Industrial applications
Calcium oxalate is used in the manufacture of ceramic glazes.
See also
• Magnesium oxalate
• Oxalic acid
• Sodium oxalate