By Amy Sienicki & Faris Tanyos

August 1, 2008

A recent report suggests there may be a relationship between global warming and kidney stones. 

According to a national study released last month in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers at the University of Texas at Dallas and the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School say that as global warming takes affect, Southern and Midwestern states may soon see an increase in the number of people getting kidney stones.

Kidney stones, which form from salts crystallizing in the kidneys, are typically triggered by dehydration. Researchers say their study found regions that are expected to be most affected by global warming over the coming decades will experience a higher occurrence of the condition, since dehydration is more common in hotter climates.

"People who run more on the dry side, are out all day, are really busy, they really don't keep up on their fluids, and they have really concentrated urine, it's really yellow," says Urologist Dr. Eric Martin.

Doctors say drinking two liters of water a day can help protect you against stones. Doctors say the condition occurs more often in men than in women because estrogen can help protect against stones.

The study did not cover the West Coast.