She’s one of the most energetic people I know. And even when everything is going wrong, she has a smile and this unique brand of perkiness. So when I saw her with bags under her eyes and a grimace that wouldn’t go away, I knew something was wrong.
It turned out my friend Pat had suffered with kidney stones for more than 30 years and was in the middle of an attack. She’d seen doctor after doctor, and endured procedure after procedure to try to correct the problem – all to no avail.
When she told me what was going on, I asked her if what I had heard was true – that passing a kidney stone was more painful than childbirth. I’ll never forget what she said to me: “Jenny, I’d rather give birth to an elephant than go through this.”
Five and a half million people in the United States alone suffer from this condition – and it seems most of them would agree with the way Pat described the incredible pain. Unfortunately, mainstream medicine offers little relief. There’s still no defined cause of kidney stones, and no defined cure.
Even alternative medicine hasn’t had many solutions. That’s why the team here at HSI kept digging until we were finally able to offer members some relief. We discovered an effective alternative kidney stone treatment called chanca piedra. This natural herb from the Amazon rain forest, which we covered in the September 2000 issue of the Members Alert newsletter, has been proven to not only ease the passing of kidney stones, but also help prevent them from forming in the first place. Now, a new study from Japan offers additional hope for people still suffering.
One supplement can reduce known marker for kidney stones
The new research found that supplementation with eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), one of the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil, can significantly reduce urinary calcium excretion.
Kidney stones are caused by a buildup of calcium in the urine. The calcium mixes with either oxalate (a salt), or uric acid, and gradually forms deposits in the kidneys. Eventually, the small, sand-like particles make their way into the urinary tract. Either they are painfully passed through the urethra during urination, or they can become lodged in the tract, blocking urine flow and potentially, leading to kidney damage or failure. So, reducing the levels of calcium in the urine is believed to be a key to preventing kidney stone formation.
In this new study, researchers observed EPA’s effects on 88 patients with a confirmed history of kidney stones. At the beginning of the study, each patient’s urinary calcium excretion was recorded. Almost 30 percent of the participants had hypercalciuria (the medical term for high levels of urinary calcium) in excess of 250 mg per day.
After the baseline assessment, each participant was instructed to take 600 mg of EPA orally after every meal, for a total of 1,800 mg of EPA each day. Urinary calcium was checked at three months and then again at six, 12, and 18 months. (Only 48 patients were still participating at the 18-month mark.)
Nearly three-quarters of the participants with baseline hypercalciuria saw significant reductions in their urinary calcium output after only three months of using the EPA supplementation. Those that remained with the study were able to maintain their lower levels (though levels didn’t continue to decrease with longer use).
Don’t live in fear of your next attack – try low-risk EPA
This study didn’t include a control group, and it didn’t track the participants long enough to determine if the lower levels of urinary calcium output actually translated into fewer kidney stones. But the results are promising, and the risks of trying this approach are negligible. In this study, the participants did not experience any side effects at all. From other fish oil research, we know that omega-3 supplements can thin the blood, so people taking blood thinners or those with bleeding problems should avoid them. But for most people, EPA supplements are safe. And for those who live in fear of their next kidney stone attack, they may be a welcome alternative.
Most fish oil supplements on the market are composed of a combination of EPA and DHA (docosahexanoic acid), another omega-3 fatty acid. Remember that this study saw results at 1,800 mg per day (1.8 g per day) of EPA alone. Read supplement labels carefully to determine how much EPA different brands of fish oil supplements contain, and how many capsules you’ll need to take to reach the levels recommended by the study. When we checked a local health food store, we were unable to find a pure EPA supplement that had a dosage easily converted to the 1,800 mg. Nature’s Way offers Max EPA, which has 1,000 mg per capsule. (There are several combination supplements that offer lower amounts of EPA.) You can order Max EPA from Nature’s Way online at naturesway.com.
If you suffer from kidney stones, I’m sure you’re willing to try anything to avoid the pain. Maybe you missed our coverage of chanca piedra last year, and are still interested in that remedy. We recommend the chanca piedra extract from Raintree Nutrition, which comes in liquid form. You can order directly from Raintree at 800-771-0255 or visit their website at rain-tree.com.
Now there’s potentially another alternative – EPA supplements. We’ll keep looking for more information about the causes of and cures for kidney stones to help you overcome this painful condition. If you know someone else who has suffered with kidney stones, please feel free to pass this information along. From what Pat tells me, it’s not an experience anyone should have if they can possibly avoid it. And hopefully, with natural preventives and treatments like chanca piedra and EPA, fewer of us will have to suffer while waiting for the mainstream to catch up.
Source:
Eur Urol 2001;39:580-585
Copyright 1997-2002 by Institute of Health Sciences, L.L.C.
