Does Global Warming Mean More Kidney Stones?
Al Gore is going to love this one. A new study, released yesterday, suggests that it's not just polar bears, ice caps, and farmers who ought to be on edge about global warming. Rising temperatures may leave Americans with a deluge of kidney stones as well.
That might sound like voodoo scare science, but it's actually well accepted that kidney stone formation accelerates in warm climates. Sweating removes fluid from the body, which increases the salt concentration of the urine and the rate at which stones develop.
The authors predict that by 2050, kidney stones will cause an additional 1.6 million to 2.2 million kidney-stone cases, representing an increase of up to 30 percent in some areas of the country. Also, as temperatures rise, the "kidney stone belt" will expand beyond the Southeast into higher latitudes. And men—who are about twice as likely as women to develop kidney stones—will probably bear the brunt of the change. Me, I'd prefer to never have to grapple with a kidney stone—global warming or not. With that in mind, I checked up on steps that men can take to prevent or slow the stone's development. Fortunately, there's actually quite a bit men can do. Here are five simple tips.
I'll be eagerly anticipating the study that looks at whether climate change is causing a rash of kidney stones among polar bears, too.
Tags: environment | global warming | kidney problems
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Reader Comments
Support Weak Data...
Just as the entire global warming science is weak, at best, its subsequent affects are also supported by weak scientific data.
So the earth is only a trillion years old and we have accurate, documented weather data for say...100 years so all the global warming science really accounts for maybe 1:bazillionth of the earths weather data. Good Science - if you're a moron.
The same rings true for the kidney stone "theory". To take only one variable and establish that it is warmth that increases the incidence of stone formation in certain regions of the country is bad science. What other variables were controlled to confirm or support that hypothesis? A few variables I can think of include: water consumption per capita, activity level, milk consumption per capita, diet (which is huge since many foods increase likely hood of stone formation) and genetics to name a few.
Just as in global warming our "researchers" mostly want to grab a headline. It is nothing more not less.
Global Warming, FOX news etc....
OK, so we don't know if it's real or not, but last time I checked several cities underwater in good ol' USA. Hope you're not counting on GW's disaster relief plan. BTW, the national guard is not in the nation to help you. Sorry, but those relief supplies were given to the state Casino board. And your trailers are carcinogenic. Have a nice day.
Not news to me a city UNDER SEA LEVEL protected by high tech DIRT LEVIES is now under the sea, like nemo! Under da sea! This is science. A city below sea level will soon be under the sea.... especially when government is in charge of levy building and maintenance. Our best levies are made of dirt?
Superpower eh?
Nobody likes FOX news, oh please tease and then scare me and then leave me hangin' some more... I like an actual news report not just a sound byte (1 bit of info). So I watch BBC! So this is all the news in America. They want you to PANIC!
And after you PANIC and are in MASS HYSTERIA, they then show you bunch of boring recipes for food you can't afford or have a chef to cook for you.
I especially like to hear how they think my vote counts and the system works etc... especially after the last "election" which was more of an electoral appointment. Just remember you live in a Republic, and the top 1% who own everything represent you, and you will do fine. Just like Rome did.
RE: Another 'WHATIF' story
Plants don't produce CO2, they consume it and expel oxygen in the process of growing. That's why the slash and burn of the world's rain forests is doing the most damage to the environment.
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