Oxalates & IBD

Having IBD can make us question a lot of things, especially our nutrition intake.  A common question that we get as IBD dietitians is if a low oxalate diet is suitable and recommended for a patient with IBD.  Continue to read on for more information!What are oxalates?Oxalates are compounds that bind to minerals and can be found in foods naturally.  Oxalates tend to have a bad rep because they are known for increasing the risk of kidney stones.  It is important to note that dietary consumption of oxalates is not always comparable to stone formation.  It can be difficult to know exactly how much dietary oxalate is consumed in relation to a specific kidney stone formation. What role do oxalates have in the digestive tract?Oxalates contributing to kidney stones can be decreased with the help of oxalate-degrading bacteria found in the gut.  Furthermore, research has shown that up to 40% of these gut-containing bacteria can decrease oxalates (1).Certain bacterial strains including Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium can help absorb oxalates, thereby decreasing kidney stone formation.  The same goes when there is an insufficient amount of these oxalate degrading bacteria in the digestive tract, there is an increased risk of kidney stones. Oxalobacter Formigenes, a […]