The Impact of Diet on Urinary Risk Factors for Cystine Stone Formation

Despite the importance of dietary management of cystinuria, data on the contribution of diet to urinary risk factors for cystine stone formation are limited. Studies on the physiological effects of diet on urinary cystine and cysteine excretion are lacking. Accordingly, 10 healthy men received three standardized diets for a period of five days each and collected daily 24 h urine. The Western-type diet (WD; 95 g/day protein) corresponded to usual dietary habits, whereas the mixed diet (MD; 65 g/day protein) and lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet (VD; 65 g/day protein) were calculated according to dietary reference intakes. With intake of the VD, urinary cystine and cysteine excretion decreased by 22 and 15%, respectively, compared to the WD, although the differences were not statistically significant. Urine pH was significantly highest on the VD. Regression analysis showed that urinary phosphate was significantly associated with cystine excretion, while urinary sulfate was a predictor of cysteine excretion. Neither urinary cystine nor cysteine excretion was affected by dietary sodium intake. A lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet is particularly suitable for the dietary treatment of cystinuria, since the additional alkali load may reduce the amount of required alkalizing agents.