Dietary Supplements, Resistance Training, and Kidney Stone Risk: A Narrative Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12775/QS.2026.63.73241Keywords
resistance training, dietary supplements, nephrolithiasis, kidney stones, protein supplements, creatine, vitamin C, hydrationAbstract
Background. Dietary supplements are widely used by resistance-trained individuals to support hypertrophy, strength, recovery, and performance. Nephrolithiasis is a recurrent condition influenced by urine volume, urinary pH, calcium, oxalate, uric acid, citrate, sodium intake, and dietary patterns.
Aim. The aim of this narrative review was to analyse the potential relationship between common gym supplements and risk factors for kidney stone formation.
Material and methods. A narrative literature review was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, urological guidelines, and sports nutrition position statements. The synthesis focused on protein supplements, creatine, vitamin C, calcium, vitamin D, caffeine-containing pre-workout products, hydration, and dietary context.
Results. The main concerns relate to high-dose vitamin C, excessive non-dairy animal protein intake, high sodium intake, low urine volume, and poorly supervised calcium or vitamin D supplementation in predisposed individuals. Recommended-dose creatine is not convincingly linked with nephrolithiasis in healthy users.
Conclusions. Supplement use should be interpreted within total diet, hydration, training conditions, and individual stone risk. Prevention includes adequate fluid intake, moderate protein intake, sodium restriction, sufficient dietary calcium, avoidance of excessive vitamin C, and medical evaluation in recurrent stone formers.
Keywords: resistance training, dietary supplements, nephrolithiasis, kidney stones, protein supplements, creatine, vitamin C, hydration
References
[1] Akbari, H. A., Grgic, J., Stajer, V., and others. 2022. Effect of creatine supplementation on kidney stones recurrence in an athlete: a case report. La Tunisie Medicale, 100(6), 497-500. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36206067/
[2] Aparicio, V. A., Nebot, E., Garcia-del Moral, R., Machado-Vilchez, M., Porres, J. M., and Sanchez, C. 2011. Effects of high-whey-protein intake and resistance training on renal, bone and metabolic parameters in rats. British Journal of Nutrition, 105(6), 836-845. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007114510004393
[3] Asoudeh, F., Talebi, S., Jayedi, A., Marx, W., Najafi, M. T., and Mohammadi, H. 2022. Associations of total protein or animal protein intake and animal protein sources with risk of kidney stones: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis. Advances in Nutrition, 13(3), 781-791. https://doi.org/10.1093/advances/nmac013
[4] Bargagli, M., Ferraro, P. M., Vittori, M., Lombardi, G., Gambaro, G., and Somani, B. 2021. Calcium and Vitamin D Supplementation and Their Association with Kidney Stone Disease: A Narrative Review. Nutrients, 13(12), 4363. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13124363
[5] Borghi, L., Meschi, T., Amato, F., Briganti, A., Novarini, A., and Giannini, A. 1996. Urinary volume, water and recurrences in idiopathic calcium nephrolithiasis: a 5-year randomized prospective study. Journal of Urology, 155(3), 839-843. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-5347(01)66321-3
[6] Buford, T. W., Kreider, R. B., Stout, J. R., Greenwood, M., Campbell, B., Spano, M., and others. 2007. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: creatine supplementation and exercise. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 4, 6. https://doi.org/10.1186/1550-2783-4-6
[7] Curhan, G. C., Willett, W. C., Rimm, E. B., and Stampfer, M. J. 1993. A prospective study of dietary calcium and other nutrients and the risk of symptomatic kidney stones. New England Journal of Medicine, 328(12), 833-838. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJM199303253281203
[8] Domrongkitchaiporn, S., Stitchantrakul, W., Kochakarn, W., Ruangraksa, C., and others. 2004. Schedule of taking calcium supplement and the risk of nephrolithiasis. Kidney International, 65(5), 1835-1841. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1523-1755.2004.00587.x
[9] Ferraro, P. M., Taylor, E. N., Gambaro, G., and Curhan, G. C. 2013. Soda and other beverages and the risk of kidney stones. Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, 8(8), 1389-1395. https://doi.org/10.2215/CJN.11661112
[10] Ferraro, P. M., Taylor, E. N., Gambaro, G., and Curhan, G. C. 2014. Caffeine intake and the risk of kidney stones. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 100(6), 1596-1603. https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.114.089987
[11] Ferraro, P. M., Bargagli, M., Trinchieri, A., and Gambaro, G. 2020. Risk of kidney stones: influence of dietary factors, dietary patterns, and vegetarian-vegan diets. Nutrients, 12(3), 779. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12030779
[12] Geng, J., Huang, X., Wang, Y., and others. 2022. The association between caffeine intake and risk of kidney stones: a population-based study and Mendelian randomization analysis. Frontiers in Nutrition, 9, 935820. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2022.935820
[13] Hattori, C. M., Tiselius, H. G., and Heilberg, I. P. 2017. Whey protein and albumin effects upon urinary risk factors for stone formation. Urolithiasis, 45(5), 421-428. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00240-017-0975-0
[14] Kerksick, C. M., Wilborn, C. D., Roberts, M. D., Smith-Ryan, A., Kleiner, S. M., Jager, R., and others. 2018. ISSN exercise and sports nutrition review update: research and recommendations. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 15, 38. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-018-0242-y
[15] Kreider, R. B., Kalman, D. S., Antonio, J., Ziegenfuss, T. N., Wildman, R., Collins, R., and others. 2017. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 14, 18. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-017-0173-z
[16] Longobardi, I., Gualano, B., Seguro, A. C., and Roschel, H. 2023. Is It Time for a Requiem for Creatine Supplementation-Induced Kidney Failure? A Narrative Review. Nutrients, 15(6), 1466. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15061466
[17] Malihi, Z., Lawes, C. M. M., Wu, Z., Huang, Y., Waayer, D., Toop, L., Khaw, K. T., Camargo, C. A., and Scragg, R. 2019. Monthly high-dose vitamin D supplementation does not increase kidney stone risk or serum calcium: results from a randomized controlled trial. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 109(6), 1578-1587. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/nqy378
[18] Naeini, E. K., Eskandari, M., Mortazavi, M., Gholaminejad, A., and Karevan, N. 2025. Effect of creatine supplementation on kidney function: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Nephrology, 26, 622. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12882-025-04558-6
[19] Pearle, M. S., Goldfarb, D. S., Assimos, D. G., Curhan, G., Denu-Ciocca, C. J., Matlaga, B. R., and others. 2014. Medical management of kidney stones: AUA guideline. Journal of Urology, 192(2), 316-324. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.juro.2014.05.006
[20] Peerapen, P., and Thongboonkerd, V. 2023. Kidney stone prevention. Advances in Nutrition, 14(3), 555-569. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.advnut.2023.03.002
[21] Skolarikos, A., Jung, H., Neisius, A., Petřík, A., Somani, B., Tailly, T., and others. 2024. EAU Guidelines on Urolithiasis: Metabolic Evaluation and Recurrence Prevention. European Association of Urology. https://uroweb.org/guidelines/urolithiasis/chapter/metabolic-evaluation-and-recurrence-prevention
[22] Sorensen, M. D. 2014. Calcium intake and urinary stone disease. Translational Andrology and Urology, 3(3), 235-240. https://doi.org/10.3978/j.issn.2223-4683.2014.06.05
[23] Tamborino, F., Cicero, A. F. G., Magnani, M., and others. 2024. Pathophysiology and main molecular mechanisms of urinary stone formation and recurrence. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 25(5), 3075. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25053075
[24] Taylor, E. N., Fung, T. T., and Curhan, G. C. 2009. DASH-style diet associates with reduced risk for kidney stones. Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, 20(10), 2253-2259. https://doi.org/10.1681/ASN.2009030276
[25] Theisen, K. M., Ayyash, O., Pere, M., Ferroni, M., Riley, J., Averch, T. D., and Semins, M. J. 2022. Defining 24-hour urine parameters and kidney stone risk of student athletes. Clinical Nephrology, 97(2), 86-92. https://doi.org/10.5414/CN110355
[26] Thomas, L. D. K., Elinder, C. G., Tiselius, H. G., Wolk, A., and Akesson, A. 2013. Ascorbic acid supplements and kidney stone incidence among men: a prospective study. JAMA Internal Medicine, 173(5), 386-388. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamainternmed.2013.2296
[27] Tidmas, V., Brazier, J., Hawkins, J., Forbes, S. C., Bottoms, L., Farrington, K., and others. 2022. Nutritional and non-nutritional strategies in bodybuilding: impact on kidney function. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(7), 4288. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19074288
[28] Wallace, R. B., Wactawski-Wende, J., O'Sullivan, M. J., Larson, J. C., Cochrane, B., Gass, M., and Masaki, K. 2011. Urinary tract stone occurrence in the Women's Health Initiative randomized clinical trial of calcium and vitamin D supplements. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 94(1), 270-277. https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.110.003350
[29] Yuan, S., Larsson, S. C., and others. 2022. Coffee and caffeine consumption and risk of kidney stones: a Mendelian randomization study. American Journal of Kidney Diseases, 79(1), 9-14.e1. https://doi.org/10.1053/j.ajkd.2021.04.018
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Adam Miroński, Bartosz Minik, Kacper Częczek, Karolina Cieślewicz, Kinga Szymańska-Zdyb, Patrycja Nowaczek, Barbara Braksal, Krzysztof Mirkowski, Zuzanna Wanda Szurek, Zofia Julia Chyła
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Stats
Number of views and downloads: 51
Number of citations: 0
