Weight Loss & Kidney Stones Research Study
The University of Alabama at Birmingham and University of Texas Southwestern researchers are partnering with healthy volunteers to examine how weight loss affects risk of kidney stones.
Birmingham, AL or Dallas, TX
Compensation Provided
History of Calcium Oxalate Kidney Stones
18 - 65 Years Old
Fast Facts
BMI greater than 35
Study Background
Could losing weight reduce your risk of forming kidney stones?
Oxalate is a small molecule that is formed as an end product of your body’s normal metabolic functions. Most of this oxalate is eliminated in the urine, but it can combine with calcium to form crystals and create kidney stones.
Previous studies have found that obesity can increase the amount of urinary oxalate and therefore your risk of kidney stones. The study team seeks to determine if losing weight with an established and effective weight-loss program, Optifast VLCD®, results in a reduction in urinary oxalate.
Join our compensated study and help advance research on kidney stones!
Oxalate is a small molecule that is formed as an end product of your body’s normal metabolic functions. Most of this oxalate is eliminated in the urine, but it can combine with calcium to form crystals and create kidney stones.
Previous studies have found that obesity can increase the amount of urinary oxalate and therefore your risk of kidney stones. The study team seeks to determine if losing weight with an established and effective weight-loss program, Optifast VLCD®, results in a reduction in urinary oxalate.
Join our compensated study and help advance research on kidney stones!
Study Background Could losing weight reduce your risk of forming kidney stones? Oxalate is a small molecule that is formed as an end product of your body’s normal metabolic functions. Most of this oxalate is eliminated in the urine, but it can combine with calcium to form crystals and create kidney stones. Previous studies have found that obesity can increase the amount of urinary oxalate and therefore your risk of kidney stones. The study team seeks to determine if losing weight with an established and effective weight-loss program, Optifast VLCD®, results in a reduction in urinary oxalate. Join our compensated study and help advance research on kidney stones! |
Additional Information
The study aims to see if weight loss can reduce urinary oxalate, a common risk factor for kidney stones.
You may qualify to participate in this study if you meet the inclusion criteria and do NOT meet the exclusion criteria.
Inclusion Criteria:
Exclusion Criteria:
Inclusion Criteria:
- Ages 18 to 65
- History of calcium oxalate kidney stones
- BMI greater than 35 kg/m2
- Willing to lose weight with a liquid-only diet (OptifastTM)
Exclusion Criteria:
- Diabetes
- Chronic kidney disease apart from kidney stones
- Primary or secondary hyperoxaluria
- Weight loss surgery
- Chronic gastrointestinal disorder
- Pregnancy or lactation during the study
Screening visits involve blood and urine collections as well a body measurements and review of medical history. If you qualify for the study, you will be evaluated before and after a 14-week period of weight loss with the all liquid Optifast ™ diet. You will receive monitoring and guidance during the weight loss period. Each evaluation before and after weight loss will require you to eat a fixed study diet for 5 days, collect two 24-hr urines on the study diet, and ingest a small dose of labeled oxalate and the artificial sweetener sucralose followed by several blood and urine collections over a 7-hour visit. You will have 26 visits in total over a 6 months period.
Eligible participants will be compensated up to $920. OptifastTM products and expert exercise physiologist and physician consults provided free of charge.
There is no cost for you to participate in our research program.