Learn more about how climate change may increase risk of a painful yet common condition.
As greenhouse gas emissions blanket the Earth, they trap the sun’s heat. This is leading to global warming, where our world is now warming faster than at any point in recorded history. Research suggests this may affect our health and cause an increase in kidney stones. Learn more about why it may happen and what previous studies have found.
With the increased heat from climate change, more sweating and dehydration will naturally occur. When the body experiences greater water losses through sweat, urine becomes more concentrated and leads to an increased chance of kidney stone formation, according to a study from Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
Previous studies confirm that high ambient temperatures lead to the formation of crystals in the kidneys that stick together and turn into kidney stones. Moreover, the incidence of kidneys stones has increased over the last twenty years, especially among women and adolescents.
“It is impossible to predict with certainty how future policies will slow or hasten greenhouse gas emission and anthropogenic climate change, and to know exactly what future daily temperatures will be,” says urologist, Dr. Gregory Tasian, “'[But] our analysis suggests that a warming planet will likely cause an increased burden of kidney stone disease on healthcare systems.”
*Chadwick, J. (2022, January 10). Climate change will lead to increase in kidney stones, study says. DailyMail. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-10386959/Climate-change-lead-increase-kidney-stones-study-says.html
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