09/11/2026
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Most people think kidney stones are just bad luck.
But your urine actually has natural defenses against them.
One of the big ones is citrate.
Citrate helps bind calcium in the urine and keeps it more soluble, which can make it less available to bind with oxalate. It also helps make the urine more alkaline, which can matter for certain stone patterns. That is part of why citrate is such an important clue when working up recurrent stones.
And this is not just a functional medicine talking point.
The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK/NIH) notes that citrate may help block stone formation, which is one reason citrus fruits and juices are often discussed in kidney stone prevention.
So if kidney stones keep coming back, don’t just ask what you ate.
Ask what your urine may be missing.
That is also why a 24-hour urine evaluation can be so useful. It helps us look deeper at drivers like urine volume, pH, calcium, oxalate, citrate, uric acid, and sodium instead of guessing.
I sat down with nephrologist Dr. Majd Isreb, editor of Springer’s Integrative Nephrology: A Systems-Based Approach to Modern Kidney Care. I was honored to contribute a chapter to the textbook.
Kidney stone prevention should be more than “drink water and hope for the best.”
Dr. Yousef Elyaman, MD, IFMCP
Medical Director and Founder of Absolute Health | Founder of FMP Essentials