Urinary citrate

Urinary citrate is citric acid excreted in the urine, reflecting the kidney’s handling of citrate filtered and reabsorbed in the proximal tubule. It is a metabolic inhibitor of calcium stone formation, primarily by binding urinary calcium and preventing crystallization into stones[1][2][6][9]. Low urinary excretion (hypocitraturia) is a recognized risk for nephrolithiasis and is influenced by diet, acid-base status, and genetic factors affecting renal citrate transporters such as NaDC1[4][7]. Measurement of urinary citrate is valuable for assessing stone risk and monitoring therapy. Increasing urinary citrate (often via potassium citrate) is an established strategy to prevent stones; hypocitraturia is also linked to risk of bone loss and faster progression of chronic kidney diseases including polycystic kidney disease[1][8]. Urinary citrate is a biochemical analyte, not a molecular therapeutic target.

Other names

Urine citrateCitric acid in urineUrinary citric acidHypocitraturia

Urinary alkalinization and increased citrate excretion (Potassium citrate increases urinary pH and citrate levels, inhibiting stone formation by increasing calcium-citrate formation and reducing calcium oxalate supersaturation[1][2][3][5][7])