What Is Calcium Oxalate?

Calcium oxalate is a compound that sometimes forms in the kidneys or urine as a result of certain dietary and chemical factors. It is a key component in the formation of kidney stones.

The Facts

Calcium oxalate formation typically begins with the presence of excess amounts of calcium in the bloodstream, according to the Urology Channel. The kidneys remove this calcium from the blood, and a buildup of this mineral in the kidneys can cause it to combine with oxalate, a substance produced by the liver and found in certain foods.

High-Oxalate Foods

The National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NKUDIC) lists foods with high amounts of oxalate that include beets, spinach, rhubarb, wheat germ, peanuts, okra, sweet potatoes and chocolate.

Additional Sources

The Mayo Clinic and the NKUDIC list additional sources of oxalate or calcium concentration that include certain metabolic disorders, high vitamin D intake, intestinal bypass surgery and creation of an intentional opening between an organ and the skin’s surface (ostomy surgery).

Considerations

The NKUDIC notes that food sources do not seem to raise levels of kidney stone formation unless an individual is otherwise susceptible to kidney stones.

Additional Considerations

Calcium may also combine with phosphate to form calcium phosphate kidney stones, notes the Mayo Clinic.

Calcium oxalate is a compound that sometimes forms in the kidneys or urine as a result of certain dietary and chemical factors. It is a key component in the formation of kidney stones.