Can vitamin c cause kidney stones
Pro Research Analysisby 
Searched over 200M research papers
Can Vitamin C Cause Kidney Stones?
Vitamin C and Kidney Stone Formation in Men
High-Dose Vitamin C Supplementation and Increased Risk
Several studies have shown a significant association between high-dose vitamin C supplementation and an increased risk of kidney stones in men. A large cohort study involving Swedish men found that those who took vitamin C supplements had a twofold increased risk of developing kidney stones compared to those who did not take any supplements 45. This study highlighted that the risk was dose-dependent, with higher doses correlating with a greater risk of stone formation .
Mechanisms of Stone Formation
The formation of kidney stones in men taking high doses of vitamin C is thought to be due to the conversion of vitamin C to oxalate, a key component of kidney stones 25. This conversion increases the urinary excretion of oxalate, thereby elevating the risk of calcium oxalate stone formation 45. Additionally, research has shown that androgen receptors may promote the formation of calcium oxalate crystals in the presence of high-dose vitamin C, further contributing to the risk .
Vitamin C and Kidney Stone Formation in Women
Lack of Significant Association
In contrast to men, studies have generally not found a significant association between vitamin C intake and kidney stone formation in women. A prospective cohort study involving 156,735 women found no significant link between total, dietary, or supplemental vitamin C intake and the risk of kidney stones . Another study confirmed these findings, showing that even high doses of vitamin C did not significantly increase the risk of stone formation in women .
Dietary Vitamin C vs. Supplemental Vitamin C
Differential Impact on Stone Risk
The risk associated with vitamin C intake appears to differ between dietary and supplemental sources. While supplemental vitamin C has been linked to an increased risk of kidney stones in men, dietary vitamin C intake has not shown a significant association with stone formation in either men or women 14. This suggests that the form and dosage of vitamin C intake play crucial roles in its impact on kidney stone risk.
Intravenous Vitamin C and Kidney Stones
Lack of Evidence for Increased Risk
Interestingly, a study investigating the effects of high-dose intravenous vitamin C (IVC) found no reported cases of kidney stones among patients receiving IVC therapy over a 12-month period . This suggests that the route of administration may influence the risk of stone formation, although more research is needed to confirm these findings.
Conclusion
In summary, high-dose vitamin C supplementation is associated with an increased risk of kidney stones in men, likely due to increased urinary oxalate excretion. However, this risk does not appear to extend to women or to those consuming vitamin C through dietary sources. Additionally, intravenous administration of vitamin C has not been linked to an increased risk of kidney stones. These findings highlight the importance of considering both the dosage and form of vitamin C intake when evaluating the risk of kidney stone formation.
Sources and full results
Most relevant research papers on this topic