Rice bran treatment for patients with hypercalciuric stones: experimental and clinical studies

The purpose of this study is to confirm the hypocalciuric effect of rice bran experimentally and clinically. Urinary calcium excretion and its absorption in the intestine were reduced significantly by rice bran or phytin in rats fed high calcium diets, while there were no significant decreases with a low calcium diet. For the clinical study 70 patients with idiopathic hypercalciuria were treated with rice bran (10 gm. twice daily) for 1 month to 3 years. In almost all patients rice bran caused a significant decrease in urinary calcium excretion, which was maintained during treatment. Evidence of stones has decreased clearly among patients treated with rice bran for 1 to 3 years, although this might be a halfway judgment of the long-term treatment. We suggest that phytin should be the most effective substance to reduce the intestinal absorption of calcium and that rice bran treatment should be effective for prevention of recurrent urinary stone disease.