No evidence that drinking pineapple juice can 'cure' kidney stones: experts

"The remedy that cured my kidney disease. Please read it because it is my own experience and valuable. I have shared it with more than 50 people and all of them have been cured, so I am sharing it," read a Burmese-language Facebook post published on July 19, 2024.

The lengthy post, shared more than 1,000 times, suggested boiling pineapple with hot water before drinking the juice. 

"People who receive dialysis should drink it with a spoon. People with other diseases should keep it cool and then drink all the juice within one hour... The remedy has no side effects. My kidney disease along with body swelling and blood in my urine has been cured for ten years."

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A screenshot of the false post, taken on July 31, 2024

The post circulated online in coup-hit Myanmar, where access to reliable medical care remains difficult. Thousands of healthcare workers have boycotted state-run hospitals in protest against the junta's February 2021 takeover.

AFP reported that the state of emergency was extended by six months in July this year.

The false claim has circulated in Burmese-language Facebook posts since at least 2021. A similar false claim has been shared in English-language posts here, here and here. 

No scientific evidence

Health experts said while pineapples are rich in nutrients, there is no evidence that drinking their juice can cure kidney disease.

A spokesperson for the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) told AFP that "CDC has no scientific evidence to confirm this is true" (archived link).

"It’s not possible to reverse kidney damage, but you can take steps to slow it down. Managing risk factors like diabetes and high blood pressure can help prevent kidney problems like chronic kidney disease," said the spokesperson in an email to AFP on July 30, 2024.

Dr Thurein Hlaing Win, country manager of Myanmar healthcare website Hello Sayarwon, told AFP: "Since pineapple is rich in nutrients and water, it generally benefits your kidneys. But it doesn't mean it has curative properties (archived link)."

He explained that drinking water can help manage kidney problems alongside treatments prescribed by doctors. 

"Foods are just foods -- they are good for your health and nutritious, but they cannot cure diseases," he said.

AFP has previously debunked other false posts touting unproven kidney remedies here and here.