Kidney stones are tiny, rock-hard crystals that form inside your organs. Passing one feels like a tiny dragon is clawing its way out. People desperate for relief will try anything. Including chugging giant bottles of cranberry juice.
The quirky truth
Cranberry juice is high in oxalates. Yes, the very stuff that sometimes makes kidney stones. So for certain types of stones (calcium oxalate ones), drinking loads of it is like adding fuel to a fire. Not smart.
But for struvite stones (those weird infection-related ones)? Cranberry juice’s acidity might help. It creates an unfriendly environment for the bacteria that form those stones. It’s a tricky game of stone roulette.
