Can drinking milk cause kidney stones?

While there is no definitive proof that drinking milk causes kidney stones, many studies have shown that high consumption of dairy products may increase the risk of developing them. A study in 2010 found that people who consume more than three servings a day of dairy products had a higher incidence of symptomatic stone disease. Additionally, according to another study published in 2017, those who drank two or more glasses per day were 40 percent more likely to develop kidney stones compared with those who consumed one glass or less daily. However, before you give up on dairy completely for fear of kidney stones, it is important to note that calcium-rich foods like dairy are linked to a lower incidence of stone formation because they help bind oxalates from other food sources such as spinach and nuts—two food groups linked to an increased risk for kidney stones—and excrete them through the digestive system instead of allowing them to settle into the kidneys or urinary tract.