How To Flush Oxalates From The Body

Explore effective strategies for how to flush oxalates from the body safely. Dive into the science behind oxalate cleansing and reclaim control over your well-being.

Oxalates have received a bad rap over recent years but do they deserve their reputation or is avoiding oxalates just another trend?

If you are trying to avoid oxalates, or are prone to kidney stones and want to learn how to flush oxalates from the body, you’ve come to the right place.

Read on to learn more about what oxalates are, where you can find them, symptoms of oxalate dumping, and oxalate toxicity.

What Are Oxalates, And What Kinds Of Foods Can You See These In?

Oxalates, sometimes referred to as oxalic acid (which is a byproduct of oxalate metabolism), are naturally occurring plant compounds commonly found in nuts, seeds, leafy vegetables, some fruits, and cocoa. Your body also makes oxalates on its own. (Source)

Particularly high oxalate foods include tea, rhubarb, spinach, and beets. It’s estimated that the average American consumes anywhere between 70-150 mg of oxalates with tea contributing to the greatest proportion. The oxalate content of the foods may be reduced by cooking or soaking as it can leach out into water. (Source)

Are Oxalates Bad For You?

Oxalates haven’t been proven to cause any significant health effects however, those who are sensitive to them may be at an increased risk of developing kidney stones, nutrient deficiencies, and other health conditions. (Source)

Health professionals have raised concerns regarding oxalate and mineral absorption. Oxalates bind to various minerals in your gut during digestion which reduces your body’s ability to absorb certain nutrients.

For example, spinach is a rich source of dietary calcium however, spinach is a leafy green that also contains naturally occurring oxalates. These oxalates will bind to calcium during digestion and inhibit your body’s ability to absorb the full amount of calcium in that food. (Source)

Those who consume a vegetarian or vegan diet may be taking in greater amounts of high oxalate vegetables which can reduce calcium absorption, especially if calcium foods are not prioritized. This can be a concern for those who have higher calcium needs, such as pregnant women therefore a diet low in calcium and high in oxalates is not recommended but it’s ok to consume some high-oxalate foods as a part of a healthy, balanced diet. (Source)

Additionally, high-fiber foods consumed with oxalates may further inhibit mineral absorption. Not all minerals in the diet are affected by oxalate consumption but this can be of concern in those who suffer from specific nutrient deficiencies, such as calcium, iron, or magnesium. (Source)

A few studies suggest high oxalate intake may be associated with an increase in inflammation and oxidative stress but further research on this remains warranted. (Source)(Source)

What Is Oxalate Dumping?

If you wish to reduce oxalates in your diet due to the concerns mentioned above, it’s important to be aware of oxalate dumping. This occurs when oxalates are removed from the diet cold turkey, leading to uncomfortable side effects.

Oxalate dumping symptoms can include the following which often occur when oxalate intake stops suddenly:

• Fatigue
• Irritability
• Lightheadedness
• Pain
• Mood changes
• Skin irritation
• Painful urination or bowel movements
• Cramps

Although uncomfortable, these symptoms tend to be short-lived and may only last a few days to a few weeks. Some of these symptoms can be indicators of other potential health conditions. Designated symptoms for oxalate dumping have not been thoroughly defined and further research remains underway.

While there is little research on any potential short or long-term health effects from oxalate dumping, it can be unpleasant to experience. Oxalate dumping can be prevented by slowly decreasing your intake of high-oxalate foods instead of cutting them out all at once.

A low-oxalate diet is not required for everyone; however, a moderate intake of these compounds is best. A high-oxalate diet can induce oxalate toxicity, which increases the risk for various health conditions including kidney stones and other kidney complications.

High oxalate intake causes hyperoxaluria, which is when your body excretes high levels of oxalates through the urine. Hyperoxaluria can lead to Oxalosis, which occurs when the kidneys become damaged and can no longer work efficiently. Oxalates will begin to build up in the blood vessels, bones, and organs causing damage and oxalate toxicity.

One of the first indicators of hyperoxaluria is kidney stones. Symptoms of kidney stones include sharp pain in the lower abdomen, painful urination, dark or cloudy urine, urinary frequency, and difficulty urinating. If you think you are experiencing a kidney stone, consult your healthcare provider for further evaluation.

Oxalate toxicity symptoms may include the following:

• Muscle or joint pain
• Fatigue
• Skin rash
• Kidney stones
• Chronic urinary tract infections
• Gastrointestinal problems
• Brain fog
• Cloudy urine

How To Flush Oxalates From The Body?

If you believe you have been consuming a high oxalate diet and wish to flush the oxalates from your body, below are a few tips on how you can do this.

Slowly Reduce Your Intake Of High-Oxalate Foods

As mentioned above, it’s best to avoid cutting out all oxalate foods at once as this can cause oxalate dumping and uncomfortable side effects associated with it. Instead, aim to reduce your intake of oxalate foods gradually to allow your body more time to naturally flush out excess.

Maintain Adequate Hydration

Consuming enough water can reduce the incidences of kidney stones and allow your body to better flush out oxalates through the urine. Everyone’s water recommendations are different depending on age, gender, activity, level, and climate.

A good rule of thumb for adequate water intake is to check the color of your urine. If it is a pale yellow, you are well hydrated. Darker urine requires more water while clear urine means you are likely getting more than enough.

Get Sweating

Try excreting extra oxalates through the skin by increasing sweating. This can be done by spending a little bit of time in a sauna or steam room. This can also be done through physical activity.

Take A Supplement

Certain supplements may be able to help flush out oxalates and reduce oxalate damage, such as arginine, vitamin E, vitamin C, vitamin B6, and selenium however, studies on this are limited. To get the best results, it may be more beneficial to consume a well-rounded and balanced diet rich in low-oxalate, whole foods. (Source)

To fill in any nutrient gaps, consider a nutrition supplement that includes a variety of these ingredients that are low-oxalate. Always choose supplements from trusted brands that offer third-party testing for quality and purity as well as ingredient transparency, such as Human Tonik Red Tonik or Supergreen Tonik powders.

Human tonik offers both third-party testing and full ingredient transparency with no proprietary blends so you always know exactly what you are getting in your products. They also have a wide range of beneficial ingredients, including those mentioned above, that can aid in reducing oxalate stores in the body.

Bottom Line

Oxalates are naturally occurring plant compounds that, when incorporated in small amounts in the diet, don’t pose any significant health risk. However high amounts of oxalates, particularly in those sensitive to them, can increase the risk for various health conditions.

Those looking to reduce their oxalate intake or flush out excess oxalates in their system may wish to slowly reduce their oxalate intake over time, increase water intake, and choose a well-rounded low-oxalate nutritional supplement to aid in reducing oxalate stores and subsequent health risks from a high-oxalate diet.