Why are kidney stones on the rise among young adults today?

Kidney stones, previously considered to be largely a middle-aged issue, are now increasingly diagnosed in young adults—students and working professionals alike. A combination of lifestyle modifications, poor fluid intake, and inappropriate diet is driving this trend.

1. Dehydration and its effect

Dehydration is a major contributor to the development of kidney stones. In young adults—principally students and office workers who are frequently stuck to their screens or working on successive tasks—water drinking is generally overlooked. Inadequate fluid levels lower urine output, causing minerals such as calcium and oxalate to be concentrated in the kidneys, where they solidify and become stones. As temperatures rise and hydration patterns grow unpredictable, this becomes an even bigger issue.

2. Unhealthy food choices:

Young people consume fast food, excessive salt, processed foods and drinks with added sugar, which all lead to more calcium and oxalate in the urine. Too much animal protein from red meat or excessive intake of high-protein diets also lowers citrate in urine, a natural anti-precipitant of stone development. Unfortunately, young adults do not realize that these everyday habits will directly impact kidney function.

3. Supplement use and misuse:

The unauthorized consumption of gym supplements—especially the ones rich in calcium, vitamin D, and protein powders—has become a silent offender. Supplements that are listed as "healthy" are available over the counter, but consuming them excessively without a doctor's advice can lead to increased excretion of calcium or change urine chemistry, which favors stone formation. Taking supplements while drinking very little fluid enhances this danger greatly.

4. Initial signs to observe

Symptoms like dull pain in the flank, burning while urinating, hematuria, or frequent urinary tract infections ought not to be dismissed. Many young adults unfortunately confuse initial symptoms with muscle strain or stress of lifestyle, delaying diagnosis and treatment on time.

5. Popular myths to break

One of the common myths is that consuming milk leads to kidney stones. Actually, moderate consumption of calcium from natural products such as milk tends to bind oxalates in the intestinal tract and lower stone risk. Another myth is that kidney stones are only for older people or people with a family history—this is no longer the case, particularly in the current high-stress, low-hydration society.

Dr Nasreen Gite-Samnakey MCh urology, MS General Surgery, MBBS, K J Somaiya Hospital & Research Centre