How much water should you drink to prevent kidney stones?

It is said that one of the reasons for developing kidney stones is reduced intake of water. Apart from water, increasing your intake of other liquids can also help avoid kidney stones. The aim should be to drink enough water or liquids to produce at least 2 litres of urine each day which is one way to flush out toxins and prevent salts and wastes to build-up in the kidneys.

However, the question that always remains is how much water you need to drink to prevent kidney stones and stay healthy. ‘If you never had kidney stones drinking six to eight glasses of water is perfect. However if you have kidney stones or have suffered from it in the past then you should drink at least three litres of water per day,’ says Dr Anup Ramani, Uro-Oncological & Robotic Surgeon, Lilavati, Breach Candy, Saifee Hospital.

However, exactly how much water a person needs depends on a lot of factors – activity levels, the climate of the place, etc. One way to know if you are having adequate water is to monitor your urine output. If your urine output is low, like say you visit the restroom either once or twice a day, it could be a sign that you need to drink more water. However, frequent urine output is not a good thing either. That could again be a sign of some underlying illness like diabetes orprostate problems.

If you pass urine four to five times a day, it should be fine. In any case, never compromise with your water intake. Sometimes even taking fruit juices or lemonades can do the same for you. To increase your water intake, you can try to have infused water, which gives it a twist and different taste and prevents problems like kidney stone and dehydration.