Oxalate Sensitivity: Everything You Need To Know
Oxalate sensitivity is when the body has become intolerant to oxalate salts. This disease is not a recent discovery. Doctors began talking about Oxalate sensitivity in the middle of the 18th century. It was associated with a wide variety of different symptoms. During the 1930s, oxalates were linked to the formation of kidney stones. Since then, this association with kidney stones has remained, and the other effects of oxalates have been forgotten. However, in the past few years, holistic health practitioners and some researchers have been reexamining oxalate sensitivity and its impact on people’s health.
Read on to learn about oxalates, the risk factors, the causes, symptoms, and the testing and treatment of oxalate sensitivity.
What are oxalates?
Oxalate is a term that describes oxalic acid salts. Oxalic acid is a tiny molecule of two carbon and two oxygen atoms. The oxalic acid molecule combines with other minerals to make salts known as oxalates. Oxalic acid is particularly attracted to calcium and becomes calcium oxalate. Calcium oxalate is well known to build up in the kidneys to form crystals known as kidney stones. We are now rediscovering that oxalates can collect and crystalize anywhere in the body.
Risk factors for Oxalate Sensitivity
Three distinct groups of people have a high risk of developing oxalate sensitivity.
1. Bariatric Surgery Patients
The point of bariatric surgery is to reduce food absorption, but this allows toxins, like oxalates, to get in more easily. Furthermore, research shows that 50% of bariatric patients will develop kidney stones and other oxalate accumulation problems.
2. People with Leaky Gut
People with leaky gut are probably going to absorb more oxalates.
3. Idiopathic
Idiopathic means that some people naturally absorb a lot of oxalates.
Concerning risk factors, it is essential to understand that oxalate sensitivity does not require a personal or family medical history of kidney stones. In fact, researchers in Poland who were studying the effects of oxalates on autism in children demonstrated this. The researchers were able to show that very few of the autistic kids who needed a low-oxalate diet had problems with kidney stones.
Symptoms of Oxalate Sensitivity
Oxalates can accumulate in virtually every part of the body, affecting multiple systems and manifesting in a multitude of different symptoms. That said, there are some common symptoms.
Neurological symptoms
Nerve damage is typically the first thing to occur with oxalate accumulation. Common neurological symptoms of oxalate sensitivity may include
- Pain
- Sleep Problems
- Vision problems
- Lack of coordination
- Tremors
- Memory loss
- Poor concentration
- Restlessness
- Appetite changes
- Hiccups
Musculoskeletal symptoms
Oxalates also tend to accumulate in the connective tissues of the musculoskeletal system. Common musculoskeletal symptoms of oxalate sensitivity include:
- Vulva pain
- Carpal Tunnel
- Fibromyalgia-type pain symptoms
Gut symptoms
Many people with oxalate sensitivity exhibit digestive symptoms such as acid reflux, heartburn, bloating, constipation, diarrhea and gas.
Oxalates may affect these typical systems, but they may also harm the urinary and hormonal systems.
Diagnosis of Oxalate Sensitivity
With so many potential symptoms, diagnosing an oxalate sensitivity can be difficult. However, there are a few other key flags that might suggest further consideration of oxalates.
Firstly, oxalate-related symptoms do not improve with usual treatment. Often, people have been to 5 different physical therapists and five assorted doctors.
Secondly, the symptoms tend to come and go in random ways.
Thirdly, there is a history of being exposed to foods that are a high source of oxalates.
Fourthly, slow healing injuries.
High Oxalate Foods and Supplements
Foods that are high in oxalates include:
- Potatoes
- Sweet Potatoes
- Swiss Chard
- Spinach
- Rhubarb
- Buckwheat
- Sorrel
- Beans
- Curly Kale
- Vitamin C
On a side note, cooking or fermenting does not break down oxalates in food.
Testing for Oxalate Sensitivity
Currently, there is no readily available laboratory test for diagnosing oxalate sensitivity. The best diagnostic tool we have is the low-oxalate diet.
However, there are some caveats to using this method.
- The diagnostic value of this method is limited to positives. So, a negative response to doing the diet does not mean there is no oxalate problem.
- When using the diet, the symptoms may get worse before they get better. This situation happens because when we stop the supply of oxalates, the body will begin the process of getting rid of them. Just like when we detox heavy metals, the body reacts as the toxins pass through the blood and out of the body.
Treatment of Oxalate Sensitivity
A Low Oxalate Diet
Following a low-oxalate diet is similar to implementing an elimination diet. The key is to find substitutes for the high-oxalate foods.
As mentioned above, when starting the diet, it is essential to remember that your symptoms may get worse or fluctuate up and down before becoming better. With this in mind, it is not advisable to go cold turkey and remove all high oxalate overnight. This approach may cause more acute detox symptoms. A systematic step-by-step approach is more prudent when implementing a diet. For example, begin by halving your consumption of the offending foods by half in the first week. Halve them again in the second week, and so on.
Supplements and Support
The diet is foundational to treating symptoms of oxalate sensitivity. However, some supplements and other complementary therapeutic interventions are also available.
Supplements
- Calcium Citrate helps remove oxalates from the gut. A dosage recommendation is 250mg taken just before meals or just before the time of day when symptoms worsen.
- Potassium Citrate
- Magnesium Citrate – Helps if calcium citrate causes constipation.
- Vitamin B6
- Biotin – Helps with a connective tissue issue such as carpal tunnel.
- N-acetylglucosamine
- Taurine
- CoQ10
Other Complementary Therapeutic Interventions
- Eat fermented cheeses and yogurt made from raw milk. These foods are high in calcium and potassium.
- Stay hydrated
- Remove gluten
Disclaimer
This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
Now I’d like to hear from you. Let us know in the comments below.