Does the keto diet cause kidney stones? Would a calorie deficit work better?

The keto diet does not cause kidney stones

We do not believe that the keto diet cause kidney stones because the literature is insufficient to link kidney stones to the keto diet.

What else could be causing kidney stones?

Kidney stones are common and can also be something you are genetically prone to. You are unlikely to feel kidney stones until they start to pass. The stones could have been in your system for decades. Therefore, it is difficult to link kidney stones to any diet.

What may be an issue is dehydration and electrolyte imbalance that can happen on a keto diet. We would recommend being proactive to prevent these symptoms.

You could try a calorie deficit to see if it works better. We have patients that do well with this diet, which naturally includes some carbohydrate decrease.