Nephrocalcinosis and Urinary Mineral Concentrations in Rats Fed Diets Containing Supplemental Chloride

It has been shown that the feeding of an anion-rich diet with supplemental ammonium chloride inhibits the development of nephrocalcinosis in female rats The present study was carried out to obtain further insight into the inhibitory effect of dietary chloride on nephrocalcinosis Female rats were fed high-chloride diets with the same chloride contents but containing either ammonium chloride or calcium chloride The diets were formulated so that chloride was the only variable versus the control diet Chloride feeding markedly lowered kidney calcium concentrations and nephrocalcinosis scores The high-chloride diets reduced urinary pH values and raised urinary concentrations of calcium and magnesium but did not influence those of phosphorus It is concluded that high intakes of ammonium chloride or calcium chloride lower the degree of nephrocalcinosis in female rats through a decrease in urinary pH and an increase in urinary magnesium concentrations