A study due to be published in the October 26 issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology found that orange juice is much more beneficial against recurring kidney stones than lemonade. Even if most people consider that all citrus fruits juices have the same effect upon kidney stones, it seems that orange juice is far much potent than the others.

Kidney stones are formed within the urinary tract or system. The urinary system is formed of the kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra. Kidneys' main function is to remove extra water from the body (like when we drink large amounts of water or consume foods with a high content of water, like water melon etc.) and wastes from the blood. Our kidneys turn extra amount of water and wastes from the blood into urine. Urine circulates from the kidneys through the ureters (narrow tubes which connect the kidneys with the bladder) into the bladder. Form the bladder, urine is eliminated from the body through the urethra.

Kidney stones are formed from crystals that separate from the urine and gather on the inner surfaces of the kidney. Normally, urine should contain certain chemicals which inhibit the formation of the crystals, but there are people in which the process does not function properly. Individuals most likely to develop kidney stones are those with a family history in the disorder or those who suffer from urinary tract infections, kidney or certain metabolic disorders etc.

Patients who develop kidney stones have to keep to a certain diet and lifestyle so that the hard masses of crystals do not recur. Also, most patients must be treated with an addition of potassium citrate which prevents the kidney stone from forming. But there are individuals who cannot tolerate the potassium citrate due to the fact that it affects their intestines and stomach. This is why medical experts should find other dietary resources of citrate to keep kidney stones away.

Both orange and lemon juice are rich alimentary sources of citrate. But when absorbed into the body, the citrate in orange juice proved to be highly more efficient against dissolving crystals and preventing kidney stones than lemonade.

"Orange juice could potentially play an important role in the management of kidney stone disease and may be considered an option for patients who are intolerant of potassium citrate," concluded Dr. Clarita Odvina, leader of the study and Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine at the Charles and Jane Pak Center for Mineral Metabolism and Clinical Research.