Lipsomal Iodine is now shipping out, grab some for clinic or for yourself/loved ones and start cranking up your thyroid metabolism and pushing out the fluoride, chlorine and bromine.
Is fluoride really a big deal for pregnant women and kids (and indeed everyone) ?
Research says yes.
Dosing: Start at 13,00 mcg (1 ml), daily and ideally slowly increase to 52,000 mcg (4 ml) over 2-4 weeks, asses response and then usually drop down to 1 ml daily.
Did you know oxalates are naturally occurring organic acids found in many plant foods, including leafy greens, nuts, seeds, chocolate, tea, and certain grains.
In most individuals, dietary oxalates pass through the gut with minimal absorption or are broken down by specific bacteria.
However, in susceptible patients, oxalates can contribute to kidney stone formation, recurrent bladder irritation and recurrent UTI’s.
Understanding oxalate metabolism, gut barrier integrity, and microbial balance is essential for practitioners managing kidney stone risk, chronic bladder pain, and UTI’s.
The majority of kidney stones are composed of calcium oxalate – an oxalate bound to a calcium molecule. Stone formation occurs when oxalate binds to calcium in the urine or blood, creating insoluble crystals that can aggregate into stones deposited in the kidneys.
Several factors increase risk, including high urinary oxalate, low urinary citrate, dehydration, acidic urine pH, and inadequate dietary mineral intake.
Contrary to earlier assumptions, restricting dietary calcium does not reduce kidney stone risk.
In fact, low calcium intake increases oxalate absorption from the gut, leading to higher urinary oxalate levels.
Adequate calcium and magnesium intake with meals helps bind oxalate in the gut, reducing systemic absorption and lowering urinary excretion.
Key risk factors include:
- High dietary oxalate intake
- Increased intestinal oxalate absorption (leaky gut and dysbiosis, often with gut symptoms)
- Acidic urine (high level of acid forming foods – meat, dairy primarily).
- Dehydration and low urine volume
- Low dietary calcium or magnesium
In a healthy gut, oxalates remain largely unabsorbed, however, in individuals with leaky gut, inflammatory bowel conditions, or dysbiosis, oxalates can cross the intestinal barrier more readily into the blood.
Fat malabsorption further increases oxalate absorption.
Unabsorbed fats bind calcium in the intestine, leaving oxalate free to be absorbed into circulation. This mechanism is commonly observed in patients with IBS, SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth), post-infectious gut dysfunction, celiac disease, and inflammatory bowel disorders.
A healthy microbiome plays a protective role in oxalate metabolism. Certain beneficial bacteria, most notably Oxalobacter formigenes, degrade oxalates in the gut, reducing absorption and lowering urinary excretion.
Loss of oxalate degrading microbes due to antibiotic exposure, low fibre diets, or chronic dysbiosis may increase kidney stone risk.
Reduced microbial oxalate degradation is associated with:
- Recurrent kidney stones
- Post antibiotic history
- Low microbial diversity
- Western low-fibre dietary patterns
Supporting microbial diversity through fibre rich foods (if tolerated), fermented foods, prebiotics, and targeted probiotic interventions like Everyday BIOTCS and BIOME RESCUE may help rebalance oxalate metabolism.
One of the most effective nutritional interventions for reducing oxalate absorption is consuming calcium and magnesium with oxalate containing meals.
These minerals bind oxalate in the gut, forming insoluble complexes that are excreted in stool rather than absorbed into circulation.
This approach allows patients to continue consuming plant foods while reducing stone risk.
Clinical considerations:
- Calcium citrate or our WHOLE FOOD CALCIUM with meals
- Magnesium glycinate or citrate with meals (Mag DUO/DUO PLUS)
- Avoiding very low calcium diets
- Pairing high oxalate foods with dairy or mineral rich foods
This strategy is particularly relevant for individuals with a history of kidney stones or recurrent bladder irritation.
Citrate is a key inhibitor of kidney stone formation. It binds urinary calcium, reducing oxalate crystal formation, and helps alkalinise urine (Citrate converts into BICARBONATE which is the way the body balances pH), which further reduces stone risk.
“The stone formation rate also significantly decreased after the initiation of potassium citrate from 1.89 to 0.46 stones per year (p 0.0001). There was a 68% remission rate and a 93% decrease in the stone formation rate.”
Low urinary citrate is a common finding in recurrent stone formers.
Potassium citrate supplementation has been shown to:
- Increase urinary citrate
- Raise urine pH
- Reduce calcium oxalate crystallisation
- Lower recurrence of kidney stones
Hydration, mineral intake, and dietary alkali all contribute to improved urinary chemistry.
Electrolyte formulas containing potassium citrate and magnesium provide a dual benefit in oxalate and kidney stone management.
Potassium citrate supports urinary alkalinisation and citrate availability, while magnesium competes with calcium in oxalate binding, reducing crystal formation.
The IN Health electrolyte product is particularly relevant here due to:
- Potassium citrate to support urinary citrate and pH
- Magnesium to reduce oxalate crystal formation
- Electrolyte support for hydration and renal clearance
For patients with kidney stone history, chronic dehydration, or metabolic stress, daily electrolyte support can be a valuable preventive strategy: 1-2 tsp sipped throughout day ideally and with meals.
Oxalates and Fibromyalgia Like Symptoms
Beyond kidney stones, elevated oxalate levels have been implicated in chronic pain syndromes and fibromyalgia like symptoms. Oxalates may contribute to tissue irritation, inflammatory signalling, oxidative stress, and neurosensory hypersensitivity (this is well known in autistic circles).
Oxalate crystals can deposit in connective tissue, joints, and nerves, potentially contributing to chronic pain in susceptible individuals. While research is ongoing, clinical observation supports a cautious trial of oxalate reduction in patients with unexplained chronic pain or fibromyalgia patterns but ONLY after removal of foods from an IMMUNE intolerance POV first.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2174474/The-GP-gave-fruit-veg-cure-aches-pains.html
Practical Practitioner Strategies
1. Identify high risk patients
Consider oxalates in individuals with kidney stones, recurrent UTIs especially when they cannot always find an actual infection and chronic pain.
2. Avoid extreme oxalate restriction initially
Sudden oxalate elimination may trigger detox symptoms. Gradual reduction is often better tolerated.
3. Support gut integrity and microbiome balance
Barrier repair with GUT HERO BUTYRATE, fibre if tolerated, probiotics (Everyday BIOTICS and BIOME RESCUE).
4. Pair oxalate foods with calcium and magnesium
This allows dietary flexibility while lowering absorption.
5. Optimise hydration and electrolytes
Encourage adequate fluid intake and mineral rich hydration strategies like IN Health ELECTROLYTES.
6. Support citrate and urine alkalinity
Potassium citrate rich formulas and dietary alkali can reduce stone risk – IN Health ELECTROLYTES.