Author: Victoria Aly
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minutes
Last Updated:
August 08, 2022
Excessive consumption of iced tea can be fatal to kidney health, US scientists warn.
Excessive consumption of iced tea can be fatal to kidney health, US scientists warn. This can lead to the frequent formation of kidney stones .
A team from the University of Arkansas, quoted by The New England Journal of Medicine , revealed that the refreshing drink contains high levels of oxalate - a substance involved in the formation of stones and sand in the kidneys.
In people prone to the disease, the consumption of such drinks is very dangerous, scientists explain.
In summer, due to high temperatures, people become dehydrated and often reach for a soft drink. Thus, even increased, fluid intake proves to be a harmful factor.
To reduce the risk of kidney stones, researchers advise people to drink fluids constantly, especially during the summer seasons.
Although drinking water is the best choice, homemade lemonade is another prevention option. The reason is that they are high in citrates, which inhibit the growth of kidney stones.
Many of the stones that form in the kidneys pass through the urethra and descend into the bladder, where they are excreted in the urine.
However, it is not uncommon for the stone to get stuck somewhere in the ureter and cause very severe pain due to the ureter's effort to push the stone down.
Sometimes the stone stays in the ureter and clogs it - the urine from this kidney cannot go down into the bladder, which results in the collection of urine and enlargement of the kidney, which damages the inside of the kidney.