Condition
Kidney Stones
Kidney stones are hard deposits of minerals and salts that form inside the kidneys and can cause severe pain as they pass through the urinary tract. Among supplements, potassium citrate has the strongest evidence and magnesium a moderate amount, with both studied in large groups of people. Boron, by contrast, had one small study of 14 people in which stone symptoms improved, so that evidence is limited.
Sources: PMID 22385047
- Supplements studied
- 1
- Graded outcomes
- 1
- Trials
- 1
- People studied
- 14
Evidence by supplement
- Strong
- Moderate
- Limited
- Very limited
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kidney Stone Symptoms Small Improvement | Improves (the measure goes down) | Small effect | 1 study | 14 people | ||
Studies that measured kidney stone symptoms | ||||||
Key findings
- Kidney Stone SymptomsImproves (the measure goes down)
The Kidney Stone Prevention protocol
2 primary supplements · 4 supporting supplements
- Potassium Citrate30–60 mEq daily in divided doses (prescription; supplements have lower doses)
- Magnesium300–500 mg daily (citrate form preferred)
Studies cited
11 studies from PubMed
- The adjuvant use of calcium fructoborate and borax with etanercept in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: Pilot study
- Effects of Calcium Fructoborate on Levels of C-Reactive Protein, Total Cholesterol, Low-Density Lipoprotein, Triglycerides, IL-1β, IL-6, and MCP-1: a Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Clinical Study
- Comparative effects of daily and weekly boron supplementation on plasma steroid hormones and proinflammatory cytokines
- Effects of boron supplementation on the severity and duration of pain in primary dysmenorrhea
- Plasma boron and the effects of boron supplementation in males
- Effect of dietary boron on mineral, estrogen, and testosterone metabolism in postmenopausal women
- Preliminary evidence hints at a protective role for boron in urolithiasis
- A double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study to evaluate the effect of calcium fructoborate on systemic inflammation and dyslipidemia markers for middle-aged people with primary osteoarthritis
- Effect of boron supplementation on blood and urinary calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus, and urinary boron in athletic and sedentary women
- Oral resveratrol and calcium fructoborate supplementation in subjects with stable angina pectoris: effects on lipid profiles, inflammation markers, and quality of life
- Short-term efficacy of calcium fructoborate on subjects with knee discomfort: a comparative, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study