Lemonade vs. kidney stones: a tiny trial tests a tart remedy

NCT ID NCT05389995

Ongoing Disease control Sponsor: Northwestern University Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study looks at whether drinking lemonade (Crystal Light) and taking potassium citrate can improve urine chemistry in people who have had kidney stones and have low citrate or acidic urine. Ten adults will try each combination for a week and collect their urine for 24 hours. The goal is to see if these simple interventions can raise citrate levels and lower stone risk.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: potassium citrate and lemonade beverage (Crystal Light)
What this could lead to: If it works, this could point toward a simple dietary drink to help prevent kidney stones in people with low citrate levels.
What could go wrong: This is a very small trial with only 10 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. It's also not testing whether stones actually form, just urine markers.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Kidney Calculi nephrolithiasis

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

KIDNEY STONE

Contacts and locations

Locations

Northwestern University

Chicago, Illinois, 60611, United States

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