Fact Check: Can consumption of cucumber help to dissolve kidney stones?

A recent Instagram post claims that consumption of cucumber helps to dissolve kidney stones. This claim is False.

Claim

In an Instagram post, the user claims that the consumption of cucumber helps to dissolve kidney stones, heals stomach ulcers, regulates blood pressure, rehydrates the body, relieves headaches, promotes healthy skin and is an anticancer. In the Instagram post by wellbeingwisdom7, the user in the description states that add cucumbers to your diet and enjoy the amazing benefits. As per the post, the cucumbers are not just a refreshing snack, they're a powerhouse of health benefits! The user further states that cucumbers boost your well-being as cucumbers contain 90% water content, which helps dissolve kidney and bladder stones, keeping the urinary system healthy. Cucumbers heal stomach ulcers as they have soothing properties that aid in healing stomach ulcers. ` The user further states that cucumbers are rich in potassium which helps maintain healthy blood pressure levels. They hydrate the body, especially during hot weather, and hydration from cucumbers help alleviate headaches. Cucumbers contain antioxidants and silica which support skin health and give a natural glow. The user further mentions that cucumbers contain compounds that may help reduce the risk of certain cancers.

Amongst its various claims, the post claims that the consumption of cucumber helps to dissolve kidney stones.

The post has 9,179 likes and can be accessed here

Fact Check

This claim is False. While cucumbers are high in water content which is generally beneficial for kidney health and may help prevent stone formation, there's no strong evidence that cucumbers specifically dissolve existing stones. The post seems to exaggerate the role of cucumber in dissolving kidney stones and hence is false.

What are Kidney Stones?

According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), a kidney stone is a solid, pebble-like piece of material that can form in one or both of the kidneys when high levels of minerals are present. They are also known as renal calculi, nephrolithiasis, or urolithiasis. Calcium oxalate, calcium phosphate, cystine, struvite, magnesium ammonium phosphate, and uric acid stones are the types of kidney stones.

Kidney stones are associated with an increased risk of chronic kidney diseases, end-stage renal failure, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and hypertension. (1)

Dr Vinant Bhargava, Senior Consultant Nephrologist at Sir Gangaram Hospital, explains, “A kidney stone is a hard object that is made from chemicals in the urine. There are certain types of kidney stones: calcium oxalate, uric acid, calcium phosphate struvite, and cystine. The cause of stone formation should be evaluated to prevent its reoccurrence. It can cause severe abdominal pain and blood in urine and can lead to urine infections. The treatment depends on the site and size of the stone. If the stone is small and lower down the urinary tract, it may get expelled on its own."

Factors Contributing to Kidney Stone Formation:

There can be multiple factors that contribute to the formation of kidney stones. Some of the factors include: 

Dehydration: Low fluid intake reduces urine volume, increasing the concentration of stone-forming minerals.

Diet: High intake of protein, sodium, and sugar increases the risk of some types of kidney stones. Medical Conditions such as hyperparathyroidism, certain urinary tract infections, and metabolic disorders predispose individuals to kidney stones.

Genetics: A family history of kidney stones can increase the risk.

Medications: Some medications, such as diuretics and calcium-based antacids, contribute to stone formation.

Nutritional Benefits of Cucumber

Cucumbers (Cucumis sativus L.) have hydrating properties, provide a good source of vitamin K, and have small amounts of minerals. Vitamin K helps the body with blood clotting, which is important for wound healing. The minerals that are present in the cucumbers make the water in that vegetable easier to absorb by our body. Therefore, the cucumbers are almost perfect as a “nature-grown” water canteen. The minerals in cucumbers include potassium, magnesium, and manganese. Cucumbers are also good sources of phytonutrients, which are plant chemicals that have protective or disease-preventive properties. The phytonutrients, such as flavonoids, lignans and triterpenes, offer antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory benefits. (3)

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, raw cucumber provides only 15 calories, 95.23 grams of water, 0.5 grams of fiber, 2 milligrams of sodium and 147 milligrams of potassium per 100 grams. (2)

Can consumption of cucumber help to dissolve kidney stones?

Several studies have shown that hydration can aid in flushing out small stones, but larger stones mostly require medical intervention. Cucumbers are a rich source of hydration containing up to 98% water of their weight, which contributes to overall fluid intake.(3)

In an article published in the Journal of American Family Physicians by Ferraro et.al, it was found that increasing fluid intake to 2.5 to 3 L per day and reducing consumption of carbonated beverages, particularly those acidified with phosphoric acid, prevent recurring kidney stones. It was also shown that eating high-fiber vegetables with a normal calcium level (1.0 to 1.2g per day) helps to avoid the formation of stones. Consuming less sodium (4 to 5 g per day) and animal protein (0.8 to 1.0 g per kilogram per day) also helps to minimize stone formation. (4)

According to another article published by Uthpala et. al, in The Journal of Biotechnology, it was concluded that cucumbers contain nutritional and health-promoting properties. Cucumbers include polyphenolics and cucurbitacins, which have antioxidant, anti-carcinogenic, anti-hyaluronidase, anti-elastase, anti-inflammatory, anti-hyperglycemic, diuretic, amylolytic, antibacterial, and analgesic activities. (5)

Taylor et al. conclude in their article published in The Journal of the American Society of Nephrology,  that consuming the DASH diet (The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension), which is high in fruits and vegetables, moderate in low-fat dairy products, and low in animal protein, helps to prevent the formation of kidney stones. (6)

Scientific evidence revealed the benefits of cucumber and its potential to prevent the formation of kidney stones and its component of high water content which may help in the removal of small kidney stones but no scientific evidence or medical consensus that was found that clearly stated that consumption of cucumber can dissolve kidney stones.

Speaking to Medical Dialogues Team, Dr. Ankit Sharma, consultant-urologist, Manipal Hospital, Kharadi, Pune, explained the claim that the consumption of cucumber helps to dissolve kidney stones is false. He said, "Unfortunately, at present, there are no food items or medications that can be consumed to dissolve already-formed kidney stones. However, cucumbers and other salad vegetables when consumed raw help reduce new stone formation by providing antioxidants. Consuming a third of your food in the form of raw fruits and vegetables has been shown to significantly reduce new stone formation in the kidney".

Medical Dialogues Final Take

Scientific studies demonstrate that water helps in the prevention and removal of small kidney stones and cucumbers may act as a hydrating agent due to their high water content. However, the consumption of cucumber alone cannot help in the dissolving of kidney stones. There is no medical consensus or substantial evidence indicating that the consumption of cucumber helps to dissolve kidney stones. While cucumbers contribute to hydration and provide essential nutrients, they should not be relied upon as a treatment for kidney stones. Hence, the claim is False. 

References:

1 https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/urologic-diseases/kidney-stones/definition-facts#:~:text=Kidney%20stones%20are%20hard%2C%20pebble,vary%20in%20size%2

2 https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/1103352/nutrients

3 https://ingenaes.illinois.edu/wp-content/uploads/ING-Info-Sheet-2018_05-Cucumber-nutritional-value-Kowalewska.pdf

4 https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2019/0415/p490.html

5  http://www.dr.lib.sjp.ac.lk/handle/123456789/12306

6 https://journals.lww.com/jasn/fulltext/2009/10000/dash_style_diet_associates_with_reduced_risk_for.23.aspx