Last update
5/22/2025

Overview

SCIENTIFIC SCORE
Questionable
Based on 13 Researches
6.2
USERS' SCORE
Good
Based on 1 Review
8.3

Top Medical Research Studies

We examined the relationship between vitamin C intake and the risk of developing kidney stones in a large cohort. This study included a significant number of participants: 156,735 women from the Nurses' Health Studies and 40,536 men from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study.

Our findings revealed that total and supplemental vitamin C intake was linked to a higher risk of kidney stones in men, but there was no such association evident in women. Specifically, among men, those who consumed higher amounts of vitamin C had greater likelihoods of developing stones when compared to those with lower intakes.

However, dietary vitamin C did not show a connection with kidney stones in either men or women. This suggests that while supplements may pose risks for men, dietary sources of vitamin C might not have the same impact. Overall, the study indicates that we should be cautious about high vitamin C supplement consumption, especially for men, while highlighting that dietary intake appears safe.
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4
Vitamin D's limited effect on kidney stones
We conducted a clinical trial to explore how different vitamin D treatment protocols affect kidney stones in patients who frequently experience them and have low vitamin D levels. We involved 62 participants, all with serum vitamin D levels between 10 to 20 ng/ml, and split them into two groups: one received 2000 IU of oral vitamin D daily for 12 weeks, while the other took 50,000 IU weekly for 8 weeks.

Our results showed that both treatment approaches led to a significant increase in 24-hour urine calcium. However, we observed no notable difference between the two therapies regarding this measure. Importantly, while there was an increase in 24-hour urine calcium, neither treatment affected the supersaturation levels of calcium oxalate or calcium phosphate, which are critical in the formation of kidney stones.

We also noted a significant rise in serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels, with the weekly regimen showing a greater increase. Alongside these changes, parathyroid hormone levels decreased in both groups. Ultimately, while vitamin D supplementation did elevate urine calcium levels, it did not enhance supersaturation factors that contribute to kidney stone formation, indicating that the benefits of vitamin D in this context may be limited.
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9.5
No connection between IVC and stones
We set out to investigate whether high doses of intravenous vitamin C (IVC) could influence the formation of kidney stones. Our study involved 157 adult patients receiving IVC therapy at Integrated Health Options clinic over a 12-month period.

Throughout the study, we conducted regular check-ins with patients, specifically asking about any kidney stones they might have experienced, along with monitoring their renal function through blood tests. Despite some patients having a prior history of kidney stones, we found that none reported developing new stones during the study.

Interestingly, we also noted that the majority of participants showed stable renal function, as indicated by consistent serum creatinine levels and estimated glomerular filtration rates (eGFR). In summary, our findings suggest that IVC therapy does not appear to be associated with an increased risk of kidney stones.
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Most Useful Reviews

6
Be cautious with consumption
7 people found this helpful
Taste great! Started taking this vitamin C while on vacation due to illness around us. I found out that because I'm prone to kidney stones, excessive vitamin C from non-natural forms can cause them. I had two stones, so I'll have to be cautious with these henceforth.
Read More

Medical Researches

SCIENTIFIC SCORE
Questionable
Based on 13 Researches
6.2
  • All Researches
9.5
No connection between IVC and stones
We set out to investigate whether high doses of intravenous vitamin C (IVC) could influence the formation of kidney stones. Our study involved 157 adult patients receiving IVC therapy at Integrated Health Options clinic over a 12-month period.

Throughout the study, we conducted regular check-ins with patients, specifically asking about any kidney stones they might have experienced, along with monitoring their renal function through blood tests. Despite some patients having a prior history of kidney stones, we found that none reported developing new stones during the study.

Interestingly, we also noted that the majority of participants showed stable renal function, as indicated by consistent serum creatinine levels and estimated glomerular filtration rates (eGFR). In summary, our findings suggest that IVC therapy does not appear to be associated with an increased risk of kidney stones.
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8
CDAI may reduce kidney stones
We examined the relationship between dietary antioxidant intake, particularly vitamin C, and the risk of developing kidney stones. Utilizing data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, we found that individuals with higher levels of antioxidants, as indicated by the Composite Dietary Antioxidant Index (CDAI), had lower odds of forming kidney stones.

Stone formers, those who have experienced kidney stones, typically had a lower CDAI, showcasing significant differences based on gender. An interesting aspect of our findings was that vitamin C stood out as having the strongest negative correlation with kidney stones, suggesting that increased intake may be beneficial.

The results indicated that those in moderate and high CDAI groups had reduced odds of experiencing kidney stones compared to the lowest group. This was reflected in the odds ratios, which showed a significant decrease for those with higher antioxidant consumption. Therefore, it seems that a diet rich in antioxidants, particularly vitamin C, could play a role in lowering kidney stone risks.

However, while our findings are promising, we emphasize the need for more in-depth cohort studies to further investigate this potential connection and confirm its causal nature.
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8
Vitamin C may reduce kidney stones
We explored the dietary habits of individuals from the National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (NHANES) to see how certain foods might influence kidney stone formation.

Our focus was particularly on vitamin C and its potential role in preventing these painful stones. We looked at a diverse group of nearly 17,000 people, analyzing their dietary intake alongside their kidney health over a span of several years.

Interestingly, our findings highlighted a connection between higher vitamin C intake and reduced kidney stone risk. Specifically, we noted that individuals consuming 60 to 110 mg of vitamin C daily had a lower chance of forming stones, with an even greater protective effect observed in those exceeding that amount.

While we didn't find significant associations with many other dietary elements, our results suggest that increasing vitamin C intake might be beneficial. This points towards a need for further research on how vitamin C and other dietary factors interact in the context of kidney stone prevention.
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8
Vitamin C formulation lowers oxalate
We examined how different forms of vitamin C affect kidney stones, specifically looking at hyperoxaluria, a key risk factor for stone formation. In our study, conducted as a randomized, double-blind, crossover trial, we compared the effects of traditional ascorbic acid with a formulation containing vitamin C and metabolites, known as Ester-C.

Our findings revealed that Ester-C significantly lowered urine oxalate levels compared to regular ascorbic acid. This is exciting because higher oxalate levels in urine can lead to kidney stones, and finding a formulation that mitigates this risk is important.

Although this study presents promising results, it's essential to note that further evaluation is necessary to fully understand these findings. We believe this is a novel insight into the potential of vitamin C to help prevent kidney stones, and we look forward to additional research in this area.
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7
Vitamin C's complex impact revealed
We sought to understand how varying levels of vitamin C, among other vitamins, affect the prevalence of kidney stones. Our research relied on comprehensive data from NHANES, which allowed us to evaluate the relationships between nine common vitamins and kidney stone conditions.

Through logistic regression and detailed cluster analysis, we discovered that high vitamin C intake can have a complex impact. While individuals with very high vitamin B6 and D levels showed a decrease in kidney stone issues, vitamin C presented a different picture. Initially, as vitamin C intake increased, the risk for kidney stones seemed to drop. However, after a certain threshold, that benefit waned, and we observed a potential increase in risk instead.

This means that while vitamin C can be beneficial in moderation, too much might not be the best for kidney health. Furthermore, we found that when combined with other vitamins, particularly in specific patterns, the protective effects against kidney stones enhanced, suggesting that overall dietary balance is crucial.

Our findings shed light on a nuanced relationship between vitamin C and kidney stones, emphasizing the importance of considering not just individual vitamins, but how they work together.
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User Reviews

USERS' SCORE
Good
Based on 1 Review
8.3
  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Negative Reviews
6
Be cautious with consumption
7 people found this helpful
Taste great! Started taking this vitamin C while on vacation due to illness around us. I found out that because I'm prone to kidney stones, excessive vitamin C from non-natural forms can cause them. I had two stones, so I'll have to be cautious with these henceforth.
Read More

Frequently Asked Questions

No FAQs are available for this product and symptom.

References

  1. Huang A, Huang W, Ye Y, Liu L, Wang H, et al. High composite dietary antioxidant index is associated with reduced risk of kidney stones: a cross-sectional analysis of NHANES 2007-2020. Nutr Res. 2024;128:60. 10.1016/j.nutres.2024.06.006
  2. Zeng H, Liu Z, He Y, Chen H, He J, et al. Multivitamins co-intake can reduce the prevalence of kidney stones: a large-scale cross-sectional study. Int Urol Nephrol. 2024;56:2991. 10.1007/s11255-024-04021-9
  3. Liu Kot K, Labagnara K, Kim JI, Loloi J, Gupta K, et al. Evaluating the American Urologic Association (AUA) dietary recommendations for kidney stone management using the National Health And Nutritional Examination Survey (NHANES). Urolithiasis. 2023;51:60. 10.1007/s00240-023-01423-9
  4. Jiang K, Tang K, Liu H, Xu H, Ye Z, et al. Ascorbic Acid Supplements and Kidney Stones Incidence Among Men and Women: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Urol J. 2019;16:115. 10.22037/uj.v0i0.4275
  5. Prier M, Carr AC, Baillie N. No Reported Renal Stones with Intravenous Vitamin C Administration: A Prospective Case Series Study. Antioxidants (Basel). 2018;7. 10.3390/antiox7050068
  6. Ferraro PM, Curhan GC, Gambaro G, Taylor EN. Total, Dietary, and Supplemental Vitamin C Intake and Risk of Incident Kidney Stones. Am J Kidney Dis. 2016;67:400. 10.1053/j.ajkd.2015.09.005
  7. Modi J, Modi P, Pal B, Bansal J, Kumar S, et al. Role of Vitamin C and E supplementation in reduction of serum level of renal injury marker following shock wave lithotripsy: Prospective single centre experience. Urol Ann. 2015;7:350. 10.4103/0974-7796.156143
  8. Moyad MA, Combs MA, Crowley DC, Baisley JE, Sharma P, et al. Vitamin C with metabolites reduce oxalate levels compared to ascorbic acid: a preliminary and novel clinical urologic finding. Urol Nurs. 2009;29:95.
  9. Gao C, Gao M, Huang Y. Association between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations and kidney stone: a cohort study in the UK Biobank. Int Urol Nephrol. 2024;56:3585. 10.1007/s11255-024-04111-8
  10. Dhayat NA, Mattmann C, Seeger H, Ritter A, Ernandez T, et al. The Vitamin D Metabolite Diagnostic Ratio Associates With Phenotypic Traits of Idiopathic Hypercalciuria. Kidney Int Rep. 2024;9:1072. 10.1016/j.ekir.2024.01.004
  11. Akinci A, Karaburun MC, Kubilay E, Solak VT, Sanci A, et al. Urinary stone in infants; should vitamin D prophylaxis be stopped?. J Pediatr Urol. 2024;20:604.e1. 10.1016/j.jpurol.2024.04.006
  12. Sardari Masihi L, Borumandnia N, Taheri M, Basiri A, Imani H, et al. Effect of two vitamin D repletion protocols on 24-h urine calcium in patients with recurrent calcium kidney stones and vitamin D deficiency: a randomized clinical trial. Eur J Med Res. 2023;28:246. 10.1186/s40001-023-01226-z
  13. Isik G, Bozdag PG. Why is childhood urolithiasis increasing? Etiology, diagnosis and management: a single-center experience. J Nephrol. 2023;36:1599. 10.1007/s40620-023-01638-4
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