Abstract

To increase water intake is an useful prophylactic treatment for many urologic diseases, such as urolithiasis or urinary tract infection. An high water intake increases urinary volume with a dilutional effect that involves a consequent decrease of the concentrations of urinary solutes and a reduction of the levels of the salts involved in the lithogenic process. Furthermore the increased flow of urine in the urinary tract also improves the elimination of debris, gravel and bacteria. The intake of a water (Cerelia) with medium mineral (calcium 119.7 mg/l) and high bicarbonate (412 mg/l) content can cause specific changes of urinary composition that can be beneficial for the prevention of stone formation. The bicarbonate load has an alkalinizing effect that increase the urinary pH values and the urinary citrate excretion. This can be helpful to prevent both uric acid lithiasis, as a consequence of the increase of urinary pH (and of the solubility of uric acid), and calcium lithiasis, as a consequence of the increase of urinary citrate (and of inhibition of formation and aggregation of calcium crystals). Experimental studies demonstrated that the administration of a medium mineral high bicarbonate water induced a significant decrease of serum uric acid levels by increasing the urinary excretion of uric acid without risk of stone formation due to the increase of urinary volumes, urinary pH and citrate excretion.