Comparison of the Influence of Vegetarian and Mediterranean Diets on the Formation of Kidney Stones
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12775/QS.2025.37.57055Keywords
kidney stone disease, Mediterranean diet, Vegetarian Diet, Metabolic factors, kidney stone prevention, dietary factors, recurrence preventionAbstract
Introduction and Purpose:
Kidney stone disease is a significant global health concern with increasing prevalence worldwide. Diet plays a critical role in both the prevention and development of this condition. The aim of this study was to compare the impact of vegetarian and Mediterranean diets on the risk of kidney stone formation, focusing on the metabolic mechanisms and nutritional composition of each diet.
Materials and Methods:
The review is based on a detailed analysis of peer-reviewed studies from major scientific databases such as PubMed. The selected studies focus on the mechanisms of kidney stone formation, the influence of nutritional factors on this process, and the nutritional profiles of vegetarian and Mediterranean diets.
Results:
The vegetarian diet, rich in citrate, magnesium, and potassium, demonstrates urine-alkalizing properties that counteract kidney stone formation. Reducing meat intake in this diet lowers the risk of hyperuricosuria and uric acid stone formation. However, the vegan version of the vegetarian diet, which excludes dairy, may increase the risk of oxalate stones due to reduced calcium intake. Conversely, the Mediterranean diet offers a more balanced approach, combining the benefits of high fruit, vegetable, olive oil, and whole grain consumption with moderate intake of dairy, fish, and poultry. The presence of polyphenols in olive oil and the anti-inflammatory properties of this diet further support metabolic health and reduce the risk of kidney stones.
Conclusion:
The Mediterranean diet appears more effective in reducing kidney stone risk due to its flexibility and broader range of health benefits. It combines the advantages of the vegetarian diet with additional benefits provided by dairy, healthy fats, and moderate animal protein intake. Its comprehensive preventive effects and adaptability to patient needs make it a valuable dietary model for kidney stone prevention and management.
References
Peerapen P, Thongboonkerd V. Kidney Stone Prevention. Adv Nutr. 2023;14(3):555-569. doi:10.1016/j.advnut.2023.03.002
Tamborino F, Cicchetti R, Mascitti M, et al. Pathophysiology and Main Molecular Mechanisms of Urinary Stone Formation and Recurrence. Int J Mol Sci. 2024;25(5):3075. Published 2024 Mar 6. doi:10.3390/ijms25053075
Wigner P, Grębowski R, Bijak M, Szemraj J, Saluk-Bijak J. The Molecular Aspect of Nephrolithiasis Development. Cells. 2021;10(8):1926. Published 2021 Jul 29. doi:10.3390/cells10081926
Ma Y, Cheng C, Jian Z, et al. Risk factors for nephrolithiasis formation: an umbrella review. Int J Surg. 2024;110(9):5733-5744. Published 2024 Sep 1. doi:10.1097/JS9.0000000000001719
Shastri S, Patel J, Sambandam KK, Lederer ED. Kidney Stone Pathophysiology, Evaluation and Management: Core Curriculum 2023. Am J Kidney Dis. 2023;82(5):617-634. doi:10.1053/j.ajkd.2023.03.017
Ene MA, Geavlete PA, Simeanu CE, Bulai CA, Ene CV, Geavlete BF. The effectiveness of citrates and pyridoxine in the treatment of kidney stones. J Med Life. 2023;16(6):856-861. doi:10.25122/jml-2023-0234
Segall M, Mousavi A, Eisner BH, Scotland K. Pharmacologic treatment of kidney stones: Current medication and pH monitoring. Actas Urol Esp (Engl Ed). 2024;48(1):11-18. doi:10.1016/j.acuroe.2023.11.008
Ticinesi A, Nouvenne A, Chiussi G, Castaldo G, Guerra A, Meschi T. Calcium Oxalate Nephrolithiasis and Gut Microbiota: Not just a Gut-Kidney Axis. A Nutritional Perspective. Nutrients. 2020;12(2):548. Published 2020 Feb 20. doi:10.3390/nu12020548
Siener R. Nutrition and Kidney Stone Disease. Nutrients. 2021;13(6):1917. Published 2021 Jun 3. doi:10.3390/nu13061917
D'Ambrosio V, Ferraro PM, Lombardi G, Friso S, Gambaro G. Unravelling the Complex Relationship between Diet and Nephrolithiasis: The Role of Nutrigenomics and Nutrigenetics. Nutrients. 2022;14(23):4961. Published 2022 Nov 23. doi:10.3390/nu14234961
Yuan S, Larsson SC. Coffee and Caffeine Consumption and Risk of Kidney Stones: A Mendelian Randomization Study. Am J Kidney Dis. 2022;79(1):9-14.e1. doi:10.1053/j.ajkd.2021.04.018
Yang L, Wang L, Liu Y, et al. Causal associations between 45 dietary intake habits and urolithiasis: insights from genetic studies. Transl Androl Urol. 2024;13(7):1074-1084. doi:10.21037/tau-24-79
Zhou Z, Huang Z, Ai G, Guo X, Zeng G, Zhu W. Association between alcohol consumption and kidney stones in American adults: 2007-2016 NHANES. Front Public Health. 2023;11:1156097. Published 2023 Apr 14. doi:10.3389/fpubh.2023.1156097
Deng H, Zhang X, Cheng N, et al. Asymptomatic hyperuricemia associated with increased risk of nephrolithiasis: a cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health. 2023;23(1):1525. Published 2023 Aug 10. doi:10.1186/s12889-023-16469-y
Cupisti A, Giannese D, D'Alessandro C, et al. Kidney Stone Prevention: Is There a Role for Complementary and Alternative Medicine?. Nutrients. 2023;15(4):877. Published 2023 Feb 9. doi:10.3390/nu15040877
Ferraro PM, Bargagli M, Trinchieri A, Gambaro G. Risk of Kidney Stones: Influence of Dietary Factors, Dietary Patterns, and Vegetarian-Vegan Diets. Nutrients. 2020;12(3):779. Published 2020 Mar 15. doi:10.3390/nu12030779
Hargreaves SM, Raposo A, Saraiva A, Zandonadi RP. Vegetarian Diet: An Overview through the Perspective of Quality of Life Domains. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021;18(8):4067. Published 2021 Apr 12. doi:10.3390/ijerph18084067
Wang T, Masedunskas A, Willett WC, Fontana L. Vegetarian and vegan diets: benefits and drawbacks. Eur Heart J. 2023;44(36):3423-3439. doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehad436
Sultan MI, Ibrahim SA, Youssef RF. Impact of a Mediterranean diet on prevention and management of urologic diseases. BMC Urol. 2024;24(1):48. Published 2024 Feb 26. doi:10.1186/s12894-024-01432-9
Rodriguez A, Curhan GC, Gambaro G, Taylor EN, Ferraro PM. Mediterranean diet adherence and risk of incident kidney stones. Am J Clin Nutr. 2020;111(5):1100-1106. doi:10.1093/ajcn/nqaa066
Kiani AK, Medori MC, Bonetti G, et al. Modern vision of the Mediterranean diet. J Prev Med Hyg. 2022;63(2 Suppl 3):E36-E43. Published 2022 Oct 17. doi:10.15167/2421-4248/jpmh2022.63.2S3.2745
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Sebastian Samuła, Michał Mazur, Dorota Waz, Jakub Szarłowicz, Zofia Goliszek, Karolina Łucja Sobek, Wiktoria Tabin-Barczak, Aldona Sokołowska, Klaudia Fikas, Kamil Chwaliszewski
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Stats
Number of views and downloads: 110
Number of citations: 0
