Sidelining the "other" stones Q: I read your advice for dealing with calcium oxalate kidney stones, but I actually suffer from uric acid kidney stones. Do you have any additional information on dealing with this type? JVW: As with the calcium oxalate form of kidney stones, cutting back your intake of animal protein while increasing bulk and fiber in your diet can help prevent uric acid stones from forming. And, in addition to the problem refined sugar can pose for you, we know that fructose can also increase uric acid excretion in the urine. Eating whole fruit doesn't cause this problem, but drinking fruit juice or drinks sweetened with high fructose corn syrup does. So cutting back on meat and fructose-containing foods and drinks is even more important in cases of uric acid kidney stones. Aside from making sure you follow those two steps in particular, the other guidelines I mentioned last week for calcium oxalate kidney stones will also help in cases of uric acid stones. What is...uric acid? Uric acid is a chemical compound consisting of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen that is produced in the body during digestion. According to the Urology Channel (www.urologychannel.com), "If the acid level in the urine is high or too much acid is excreted, the uric acid may not dissolve and uric acid stones may form. Genetics may play a role in the development of uric acid stones, which are more common in men. Approximately 10 percent of patients with kidney stone disease develop this type of stone." | 
