Oxalates are organic compounds found in many plants. Under a microscope, oxalates are jagged in structure and look crystalline. Oxalates are not so essential for our body, so it binds to the other waste products in food and makes their way to the kidneys to excrete it out. Oxalates help protect the plant from animals, insects, and fungi, they also keep your body from absorbing essential nutrients in food. Oxalates often bind to minerals such as calcium and are excreted out of the body through urine and stool.
Hyperoxaluria
An excess oxalate level in the blood is termed hyperoxalemia, and high levels of oxalate in the urine is termed hyperoxaluria. When we consume excessive oxalates, our body fails to flush it through urine, especially if you are not drinking enough fluids. As oxalates increase in the body, they can bind to calcium and block the absorption of minerals, form crystals and eventually kidney stone.
When oxalates bind to calcium in your blood, tiny, sharp crystals oxalic acid form and can be deposited anywhere in the body and can cause muscle aches and pain.
High oxalates can also lead to oxidative damage, glutathione depletion and increased inflammation. Individuals with chronic illnesses, such as chronic fatigue syndrome or gut issues will often have high oxalates.
Who is at Risk?
In healthy individuals with a robust microbiome, oxalates in the diet do not cause any problem as normally, there is little oxalate that is absorbed from the diet. However, the level of absorption has to do with the condition of the gut.
Those with digestive issues – When there is poor digestion, inflammation and/or leaky gut, excess oxalates can be absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract and become a problem for other cells in the body. Likewise, changes in the composition and number of microbes in the gut (dysbiosis) may also increase the impact of oxalates. Don’t forget that high stress and poor diet can also damage bacteria in the gut.
Antibiotic usage – Those with recent or heavy antibiotic use may be at greater risk from dietary oxalates.
Individuals with kidney stones or any kidney issues should consider a low oxalate diet. Deficiencies – Vitamin B6, magnesium or thiamine (vitamin B1) may contribute to a decreased ability for your body to excrete oxalates.
Sources of Oxalates
High-oxalate foods include dark green leafy vegetables such as spinach, cauliflower, broccoli, parsley, beetroot, potatoes, radishes, black pepper, chocolate, nuts, berries, dates, and beans. They are present in low quantities in dairy food, meat, and poultry food.
Oxalates can suppress the immune system, making one more susceptible to yeast overgrowth. Fungi such as Aspergillus (a type of mold) and Candida (a type of yeast) can produce oxalates. Aspergillus can combine with heavy metals in the GI tract. Therefore, along with a low oxalate diet, it is imperative to address yeast, mold and heavy metals to reduce the overall oxalate load.
The liver is able to make oxalates. Ensuring adequate vitamin B6 status can minimize oxalate production. An enzyme that depends on sufficient vitamin B6 is required to shift the reaction away from oxalate production and to process oxalates for removal from the body. Individuals with low vitamin B6 won’t have the ability to clear oxalates from the body properly.
Candida and Oxalate Levels
Oxalate sensitivity could be linked to underlying yeast or candida overgrowth. Yeast and fungal infections are linked to high levels of oxalates in the body. In a healthy person, around 90% of the oxalate consumed will be excreted through the stool and urine. However, for sensitive individuals, it is not excreted. When there are high levels of oxalates in our cells, it can lead to oxidative damage, depletion of glutathione, the compromise of our immune system and the formation of crystals which cause pain and injury.
The composition of your gut microbiota is directly related to the amount of oxalate levels found in your urine. High oxalate sensitivity is related to candida overgrowth. Candida also produces arabinose, and all yeast produces erythroascorbic acid. Genetic susceptibility, combined with a lack of enzyme cofactors such as Vitamin A, B1, B6, Magnesium) can result in the misprocessing of amino acids and the liver forming oxalates from safe amino acids like hydroxyproline. One bacterium in particular, Oxalobacter formigenes, exclusively uses oxalate for food. People who have this bacterium in their gut may have a 70% reduced risk of kidney stones.
Candida and oxalates seem to have a connection in the body causing the formation of stones and painful joints. Candida grows and flourish in the gut and eventually burrow down into the lining of the gut causing leaky gut. Since candida can create holes in the gut, it’s easy for oxalates to absorb through leaky gut right into your bloodstream making it easy to reach the kidney. So, knowing that candida overgrowth can increase oxalates is a vital piece of information for anyone dealing with kidney stones.
Candida is known to produce large amounts of oxalates creating the perfect storm for kidney stone formation. That high amount of oxalates is correlated to the presence of yeast infections as well.
A low oxalate diet can be helpful for people struggling with kidney stones, but it will not eliminate your oxalate problem if you also have candida growing in the gut. Candida in the gut can be an oxalate factory causing the majority of your oxalate issues.
Primary Hyperoxaluria
Primary hyperoxaluria (congenital oxaluria) is a rare inherited disease, which means that it's passed down in families. It's caused by changes in a gene. With primary hyperoxaluria, the liver doesn't make enough of a certain protein that prevents too much oxalate from being made. Or the protein doesn't work as it should. The body gets rid of excess oxalate through the kidneys, in urine. The extra oxalate can combine with calcium to form kidney stones and crystals. These can damage the kidneys and cause them to stop working.
With primary hyperoxaluria, kidney stones form early. They most often cause symptoms from childhood through age 20. The kidneys of many people with primary hyperoxaluria stop working well by early to middle adulthood. But kidney failure can happen even in babies with this disease. Others with primary hyperoxaluria may never have kidney failure.
Symptoms of Hyperoxaluria
Often, the first sign of hyperoxaluria is a kidney stone. Kidney stone symptoms can include sharp pain in the back, side, lower stomach area or groin, urine that looks pink, red or brown due to blood, frequent urge to pee, also called urination, pain when peeing, not being able to urinate or peeing only a small amount, chills, fever, upset stomach, and vomiting.
High oxalate symptoms may include Recurring kidney stones, grainy-looking stools, gum inflammation, swollen, achy joints, mottled skin, poor circulation, bone pain, and irregular heartbeat.
Tips
Limit your oxalate intake, stay well-hydrated, moderate your protein intake, and increase calcium consumption are other essential aspects of a low-oxalate diet. Follow the diet for at least 3–6 weeks to see if your symptoms improve.
Enjoy low oxalate foods. Various low oxalate foods help to lower your oxalate levels to enjoy it. In a low oxalate diet, you can include avocado, cauliflower, herbal tea, dairy products, chicken, and meat.
Consume calcium-rich foods. Oxalate and calcium bind together to prevent the formation of kidney stones. Therefore, it’s recommended to pair your oxalate diet with high-calcium-containing foods like yogurt and cheese. Take calcium citrate and magnesium with each meal so they can bind to and neutralize oxalates. Vitamin B6 stimulates an enzyme to form glycine instead of oxalic acid.
Drink plenty of water. Water helps to flush many toxic substances from your body through your kidney and helps to prevent the formation of kidney stones.
Avoid excessive sodium in your diet. Sodium causes the body to hold on to water, which counteracts the oxalate-flushing benefits of healthy hydration.
Cut down excess vitamin C supplementation. When you consume vitamin C, it breaks down into your body and forms oxalates. If you are taking an excessive amount of vitamin C, then oxalate may get accumulated in your body and will produce various health issues.
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