Oxalates (oxalic acid) are anti-nutrients found in abundance in many plant foods, mainly vegetables and fruits. Although they help protect the plant from animals, insects and fungi, they also keep your body from absorbing essential nutrients in food. When oxalates bind to calcium in your blood, tiny, sharp crystals oxalic acid form and can be deposited anywhere in the body, and can cause muscle aches and pain.
What does Oxalates do to your Body?
When oxalates accumulate in the body, either from a high oxalate diet or your body having difficulty removing them, they can cause many health problems. Tiny oxalic acid crystals in the muscle and connective tissues may cause muscle aches and pain. High oxalates can also lead to kidney stones, gout, leaky gut, oxidative damage, glutathione depletion and increased inflammation in your body and eventually your skin. Individuals with chronic illnesses, such as chronic fatigue syndrome or gut issues will often have high oxalates.
Oxalates also bind to minerals such as calcium, iron or magnesium, making them no longer available for absorption. This is why oxalates are called ‘anti-nutrients’ – they can cause a deficiency even when you are eating plenty of mineral rich foods.
How can oxalates harm you?
The body has no way to disarm oxalate and must excrete it. When cells are required to handle oxalate they are moving it or “managing” it, not metabolizing it. This is dangerous work for a cell.
Soluble forms of oxalate are absorbed from food and trigger inflammation, causing:
Membrane and mitochondria damage, and cell death (fatigue and energy issues
Nerve cell damage, pain, and functional problems associated with the brain and nerves
Dysfunction of cells, organs, glands
Depletion of the antioxidant glutathione in cells. Low levels of glutathione can generate superoxide radicals, increasing toxic stress causing early cell death. Glutathione is especially important in the liver for the detoxification of chemicals. It is also important in preserving brain health.
Cell communication problems (autoimmunity, hormonal issues, neurological issues. For example: Oxalates can confuse and stress the immune system, creating auto-immune symptoms.
Destroys connective tissue’s key building block (hyaluronic acid)
makes it much harder to fully recover from injury, even surgery
can weaken or destabilize joints, bones, skin (skin may be thin or easily damaged)
can make you injury prone
7. May deplete the B-vitamins, B6 and B7 (Biotin)
Uses up vitamin B6, possibly initiating a vicious cycle. B6 deficiency increases internal production of oxalate, increases oxalate load, further depleting B6, and so on.
Can alter Biotin metabolism, depleting Biotin
8. Can lead to a wide range of problems, throughout the body
Kidney damage
Damage to intestines, may contribute to the development of celiac disease and “leaky gut”
Breathing problems, mucus production, and congestion
Yeast or candida overgrowth
Brain problems – sleep, mood, behavior, cognition, organizational ability, autism
Urinary issues and genital pain
Gum and tooth problems
Bone and connective tissue instability
Contributes to aging, and can make you feel old prematurely
How Oxalate Overload Compromised my Skin Health
As already mentioned, oxalates can cause an abundance of inflammatory reactions throughout the body. But not only internally, it also shows off on your skin with conditions like rashes, Eczema, Acne, and many more. When it comes to Acne, I can only talk about my personal experience since I did not find too much of that in books or the Internet. I always had spotless skin, until I did a radical change in my diet, eating frequently and a lot of these new so called superfoods. I did not develop symptoms right away, it took around a year. I first started to have little rashes like pimples around the mouth, they slowly became less and bigger until I had to deal with cystic acne. Using the Cell Regenerating Face Oil definitely made a huge difference and improvement in controlling my acne breakouts where other creams failed big time. Nevertheless suppressing my Acne is helpful but I wanted to get to the root cause of my Acne. The plan was to have spotless skin at any time of the month, especially before and during my period. After starting this diet, I saw an improvement already after the first month. I still had some minor breakouts during my period but no cystic Acne anymore. In my next menstrual Cycle any sorts of breakouts where entirely gone and it stayed like this until today (Now I am 5 months on a low-oxalate diet). I have no doubt that my body was highly inflamed and under immense stress. I am giving it a chance to heal finally and able to reverse my skin problems.
Other Personal Health Improvements after Eating Low-Oxalate
Before starting the low-oxalate diet I had many disturbing health conditions. I sometimes felt like an old lady, no exaggeration. On my worst days I had to go to the bathroom every 20 minutes, I had to urinate sometimes up to 4-5 times a night. I had to live with frequent UTI's, eye infections (sties, pink eye), yeast infections, occasionally awful back pains, joint pain (elbow, knee), stiff knees and having hard time walking up stairs, stiff neck, muscle knots, neurological issues such as hand tingling and arm pain, fatigue and dizziness when getting up, excessive mucus production especially during the night and congestion (I had almost every day mucus balls build up and stuck in the back of my throat). Long Story short all of what I have mentioned is no longer an issue, only in times of "oxalate dumping" (which only lasts short periods of time) these old symptoms are reoccurring, but in a much milder version. With time progressing the detox period gets shorter and the time of well-being longer, but I am very much aware of that it can take years to reset my body entirely.
Oxalate damage is not a sensitivity or an allergy. It is a toxicity problem.
Reversal of oxalate toxicity is an avoidance and excretion issue. It is not a matter of boosting liver function as is typically addressed in “detox” regimens. You can not fix the high oxalate overload over night when you stop eating high oxalate foods. It can take months or even years, depending on how long you have accumulated the toxin in your body. Some people may already have oxalate poisoning despite not having any symptoms yet since they have a better overall health and gut health. Nevertheless Symptoms may show up later unexpectedly. It is important to appreciate not having troubles yet and transition during that non-symptomatic phase already to a low oxalate diet. By doing so you are preventing the accumulated oxalates to develop symptoms throughout your body since you stop and reverse accumulation.
Solutions for High Oxalate Symptoms
1. Low Oxalate
A normal diet contains anywhere between 130-220mg of oxalates per day. A low oxalate diet contains less than 60mg/day. A high-oxalate diet contains over 250mg/day and extremely high-oxalate diet over 600mg/day.
Here are some of the foods extremely high and high in oxalates, to avoid:
ITEM / PREPERATION | SERVING SIZE | MG OXALATE PER SERVING |
Beet greens or red-stemmed chard, raw | 1 cup (40g) | 380 |
Beet greens or red-stemmed chard, boiled 6 minutes | 1/2 cup (90g) | 400 |
Chard, white-stemmed, boiled 6 minutes | 1/2 cup (90g) | 270 |
Rhubarb, cooked | 1/2 cup (120g) | 370 |
Sorrel, boiled 15 minutes | 1/2 cup (90g) | 520 |
Spinach, raw | 1/2 cups (45g) | 450 |
Spinach, boiled | 1/2 cup (90g) | 450 |
Chia Seeds | 1/2 cups (40g) | 260 |
Almonds, whole, with skins | 24 nuts (28g) | 120 |
Poppy seeds | 1Tbs. (8g) | 180 |
Sweet potatoes, baked, flesh only | 1/2 cup (110g) | 120 |
Potatoes, russet, baked, flesh only | 1 medium (170g) | 85 |
Chocolate, 70%, dark | 1.75 oz. (50g) | 110 |
Chocolate, 85%, dark | 1.75 oz. (50g) | 140 |
Cocoa powder | 2 Tbs. (11g) | 80 |
Star Fruit | 1 (90g) | 270 |
Buckwheat, cooked | 1 cup (180g) | 230 |
Quinoa, boiled 30 minutes | 1 cup (180g) | 110 |
Teff (flour) | 1/2 cup (45g) | 100 |
Almond milk, homemade | 80g nuts per cup | 160 |
Tumeric | 1/2 tsp. (1.1g) | 25 |
Kiwifruit, fresh | 1 (90g) | 30 |
Source:"Toxic Superfoods" by Sally K. Norton
Oxalates bind to calcium. Individuals eating a large amount of raw vegetables and little calcium should consider calcium supplementation to help reduce oxalates.
Be aware of that your body will go through periods of "dumping". It is not recommendable to abruptly stop easting oxalate rich foods, rather stop gradually. Now that you stopped eating oxalates your body will respond by “dumping” all the stored oxalate from the past years of oxalate consumption. And because the oxalate was stored throughout your entire body, all your tissues are expressing them, triggering all sorts of oxalate-related symptoms. The biggest proponents of the oxalate dumping idea say that the dumping process can even be dangerous to your health and last for months or even years. To avoid severe dumping side effects the solution is to gradually lower your oxalate intake. Your initial goal is to move towards the maintenance zone, stepping gradually down to 150mg per day and after going slowly down to lox oxalate Level of 50mg per day or less. This Calculator helps to access your daily oxalate intake https://www.marekdoyle.com/oxalate-calculator/
2. Supplementation
Oxalate Overload creates a need for extra nutrients. In conjunction with your dietary changes and adoption a healthy lifestyle, your body probably will continue to need extra nutrients to recover from oxalate overload. Supplemental Vitamins and minerals help correct nutrient deficiencies and may lower the amount of oxalate produced in the body. Supplements can ease the Symptoms and side effects of oxalate de-accumulation as well.
Calcium: Calcium's primary recovery function is to bind oxalate and remove it via the colon, where calcium oxalate is excreted via the feces. Supplementing the diet's calcium can also address deficiencies caused by oxalate's binding the calcium inside the cells and have pain-relieving benefits for the process of oxalate clearance/detox. Calcium citrate (with no added Vitamin D and no added herbs) or Calcium pyruvate (with no added Vitamin D) are recommended. If you are not already taking calcium, start low - about 400 mg a day in divided doses. If that is well tolerated, gradually work up to a maintenance dose of 1000 to 1600 mg/day. If you eat a lot of milk and cheese, your maintenance dose may be lower - 600 to 800 mg/day. Take Calcium 15 to 30 min before meals or 1 to 2 hours before your "worst time of day" - times of low energy, low mood, increased pain, and so on.
Magnesium: The mineral Magnesium is important to cellular energy and thiamine metabolism, both of which can be impaired by oxalate. And while calcium helps oxalate not enter the body (and leave via the feces), magnesium helps oxalate get out without crystallizing. Magnesium Citrate is a convenient way to get both magnesium and citrate. A starting dose of magnesium may depend on the form you choose and if it prompts loose stools. Begin with ~200mg and gradually add doses at other times, increasing to ~600 mg/day (in three doses). The amount tolerated without diarrhea is very individual. Magnesium is good to take at bedtime because it has relaxing effects and may improve sleep.
Potassium: Hardly anyone gets enough Potassium in their diet, especially women. The recommended dietary allowance is 4700mg, but women in their 20's/30's average only about 2300mg. Cellular potassium deficiency can lead to fatigue, weakness, muscle knots, cramps and constipation. Potassium is especially important while the body is undergoing metabolic stress such as removing oxalate from the tissues (which goes on for years as long as low-oxalate diet is maintained). Potassium can be dangerous for people in chronic renal failure, who cannot clear excessive potassium from the blood. If you are in the hospital with kidney problems, be aware of potassium. For the rest of us, the benefits of higher potassium intake are far-ranging, from improved carbohydrate tolerance to rebuilding demineralized bones, preventing fibrosis and kidney-stone formation to reducing urine calcium levels. It also can reduce muscle knots and cramps, prevent headaches, lower blood pressure, stabilize blood sugar, rebuild thinning bones and improve muscle and nerve performance. Potassium rich foods: Avocado, Bananas, Bock choy, Broccoli rabe, Cantaloupe Melon, Coconut Water, Egg, Honeydew Melon, Milk, Mushrooms Portobello / White Button. Potassium typically taken either as Potassium Citrate, bicarbonate, or chloride. If you have any doubt about your kidney function you should get evaluated by a doctor. If your kidneys are working adequately, it is safe to begin taking 800 mg of potassium per day. A recommended and available supplement is 99mg potassium citrate capsules. Begin at a modest dose of one (99 mg) or two capsules (198 mg) three or four times a day. Gradually increase to 2500 mg per day in divided doses. Potassium Citrate is best taken with food to avoid stomach irritation and improve assimilation into the cells.
Salt and/or Sodium: Sodium in concert with other key electrolytes and minerals (especially potassium), has the power to maintain the battery-like electromagnetic charges that power life's biochemistry. High oxalate creates conditions that deplete sodium, ad too little sodium in the body turns on the sodium-retaining hormones that may increase fibrosis. Work up as much as 2 teaspoons added Himalayan pink salt per day.
Sulfur: Sulfur has great therapeutic potential for many conditions related to oxalate overload. Sulfur-containing compounds can lower oxidative damage and inflammation and promote healing. For example MSM penetrates the cells readily and can be used topically and orally for treating allergies, pain syndromes, arthritis, gastritis, post-exercise soreness, athletic injuries, interstitial cystitis and other bladder disorders, and inflammatory conditions generally. MSM is also good for the skin, vascular system, and stomach lining. The suggested dose of MSM is to begin with 0.5 gram or 1 gram twice daily - perhaps on an as-needed basis. If it makes you feel worse, you may need to take a trace mineral supplement containing molybdenum for a month or so before taking MSM. Molybdenum facilities sulfur metabolism
Silicon: Connective tissue symptoms can persist to recur over the course of the oxalate clearing. Supplementing with bioavailable silicon seems to have a number of benefits, helping with joint instability or pain, thinning bones, back problems, hyper-mobile joints, wrinkly skin, and poor circulation. In combination with low-oxalate eating, potassium citrate and silicon may help arrest and reverse bone loss in postmenopausal years.
Trace Minerals: Consider use of a trace mineral complex supplement containing boron, iodine, zinc, selenium, copper, manganese, chromium and molybdenum.
Citrates for Lowering Acidity: Citric Acid in the urine and elsewhere binds to calcium oxalate crystals and weakens them, helping to dissolve the deposits in the kidneys and elsewhere. Wether the source is a supplement, a food additive, or lemon juice, citric acid is helpful for getting the oxalate safely out of the body. Several studies have demonstrated that about 1/2 cup of lemon juice daily is nearly as effective in reducing kidney-stone reoccurrence as potassium citrate treatment.
Vitamin B1 (Thiamin): Thiamin activates other B Vitamins and is important to energy metabolism, heart health and gut function, as well as the brain, nervous system and overall psychological well-being. Adequate thiamin (B1) restrains oxalate synthesis, which explains why thiamin can prevent kidney stones. Correcting the thiamin deficiency takes time and consistent use of high-quality supplements, often in doses greater than 400mg/day. There is no determined tolerable upper level for thiamin. Best cellular update and effectiveness may occur with the new forms of thiamin, sich as benfotiamine, sulbutiamine, or lipothiamine.
Vitamin B6: The active form of Vitamin B6, pyridoxal-5-phosphate (abbreviated as P-5-P or PLP), is an essential activator in over 150 enzymatic reactions. A Vitamin B6 deficiency delivers a three-stroke punch to an oxalate overloaded body. The B6 deficiency can 1) increase oxalate absorption, 2) elevate glycine levels, which can become glyoxylate, then oxalate, when in excess; and 3) lower citrate levels in the urine. Start with a B-Complex supplement containing 15 to 25 mg P-5-P. If you can tolerate that, you may later try adding an additional 15 mg (up to 50mg) of P-5-P, divided into two doses, with or without food.
Vitamin B7 (Biotin): Biotin is essential for growth, development, and normal cell function, in part because it is required for five mitochondrial enzymes, the carboxylases. These enzymes do not work properly when oxalate gets into the mitochondria. If you choose to take biotin supplements, I suggest 5mg daily (5000 mcg). Research suggests that 20mg/day (or much more) is safe even in small children.
Vitamin C - Less is more! We need about 100mg/day of Vitamin C. It is best to get Vitamin C from foods and it is important to limit any Vitamin C supplements to amounts unlikely to rase oxalate levels (150mg or less). If you are feeling ill and inflamed (possibly from oxalate clearing), a 100mg dose of Vitamin C taken up to three or four times a day may be reasonable. Taking more doesn't increase the benefits, and instead risks raising your oxalate levels; nor is it necessary to continue such a dose over a long period of time.
Vitamin D: Prevent deficiency. Getting enough sun exposure is an important part of a healthy lifestyle that supports recovery from oxalate overload. Sunlight exposure is the best source of Vitamin D, which had many health benefits, including for the cardiovascular system. It is recommended getting 15-20 minutes outdoors as often as you can manage, with at least your arms and face exposed to the sun (if not your hole torso) to create baseline tolerance so that longer periods in the sun are not damaging. Have your D Levels checked to determine need to supplement. If needed, take 10000 mg or more weekly or monthly, not daily. Be aware of supplementing Vitamin D / taking a sun bath at least 2 hours away from supplementing Calcium for maximum healing benefits of Calcium.
I sourced most of the information from the Book "Toxic Superfoods" by Sally K. Norton.
I highly recommend reading the book if you believe you are suffering from oxalate overload.
This information is not intended as and does not constitute medical claims or advice, and should therefore not replace the advice of trained medical professionals and healthcare service providers. This information must not be used for diagnosis, treatment, prevention, or cure of diseases or other medical conditions for oneself or others. People with health issues and medical conditions should seek the assistance of properly trained healthcare providers.
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