Do you eat healthy superfoods, drink green smoothies every morning, snack on nuts all day but still feel unwell? Does your body ache when you wake up in the morning? Do you experience frequent urination? These could be a sign of oxalate toxicity. Let's break down what oxalates are and how they can affect your health.

What are Oxalates?

Oxalates are naturally occurring compounds found in many plant foods. They exist as oxalic acid and oxalate crystals, they function as a plant's defensive mechanism. This helps plants to protect themselves, avoid being eaten by animals (and humans) and being attacked by fungi, insects and other microorganisms.

Oxalates in Our Food

Surprisingly, many superfoods we consider healthy are high in oxalates. Patients with oxalate toxicity will need to reduce the 'very high' oxalate foods in their diet first. Some of the very high oxalate foods include: Spinach, Quinoa, Chia seeds, Buckwheat, Cocoa powder, Dates, Beetroot, Blackberries, Kiwifruit, Pomegranate, Rhubarb, Raspberries, Black beans, Almonds, Cashews, Walnuts, Hazelnuts, Potatoes, Sweet potatoes, Sesame seeds, Pecans, Peanuts, Macadamia nuts, Dandelion greens, Wheat, Rye, Tahini, Turmeric, Olives, Oranges, Soy to name a few.

Oxalates in the Body

When oxalic acid is combined with minerals such as calcium, oxalate crystals form. These crystals can cause kidney stones. Your body can accumulate oxalates for several reasons; due to the consumption of high oxalate foods from the diet, the body making oxalates endogenously or through direct exposure to mould species such as Aspergillus niger found in water damaged buildings. However, the most common cause of elevated oxalates in the body comes from the diet.

Additionally, some people may have a genetic predisposition with conditions such as Primary or Secondary hyperoxaluria driving their oxalate condition. With Primary Hyperoxaluria oxalates start to build-up in the body as the liver does not make enough of a certain protein to prevent the oxalate build-up in the first place. Secondary Hyperoxaluria is more common and occurs in patients with pre-existing gut conditions, who are on a high oxalate diet.

Oxalates in Mould

Exposure to mould can also increase oxalate levels in your body. Mould contains oxalates and as a result when the total oxalate load in the body increases, the body starts to struggle to function optimally. Symptoms may include pain, chronic inflammation, oxidative stress and histamine intolerance start to occur.

Symptoms of Oxalate Toxicity

People who experience oxalate toxicity may experience the following systemic symptoms in the body:

• Pain in the joints
• Muscle pain
• Fibromyalgia
• Weakness
• Kidney disease
• Frequent urination
• Bladder pain, cloudy urine
• Interstitial cystitis
• Regular UTI's
• Constipation
• Lower back-pain
• Osteoporosis
• Gout and more.

Managing Oxalate Toxicity

If you suspect oxalate toxicity, it's important to gradually reduce high-oxalate foods from your diet. Sudden changes can cause “oxalate dumping,” where stored oxalate crystals are eliminated from your body, leading to sharp pain and discomfort. Working with an alternative health practitioner can help manage this process and minimise pain and discomfort.

Get Expert Help

Identifying oxalate toxicity can be challenging, but our experts at Integrative Holistic Health are here to help. Book an appointment through our website today to start your journey towards better health!