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High Oxalate Supplements
Hi B. & Daniel,
I’ve just realised from my OATS test in April 2025 that my results are leaning toward high oxalates. I know food is a big contributor, but I’ve checked my diet carefully, I eat the same foods daily and they’re not high in oxalates. What I’m more concerned about is supplements, since some can be high in oxalates too.
Right now, I’m taking L-Glutamine, slippery elm, marshmallow root, and DGL powders as a gut-soothing mixture. I’ve found slippery elm especially helpful, but I’ve since learned it’s high in oxalates. I’m not sure what to take as an alternative that can still help calm my stomach before and after meals. I am now concerned, there might be other supplements I am taking which are high oxalates.
Do you know of any guide that addresses high oxalate supplements and possible supplement swaps?
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2 Replies
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@naslam1603 – high oxalates on an OAT test doesn’t automatically mean that one particular supplement is to blame. Oxalate levels come from a mix of things such as what you eat, how your gut is working, your nutrient status (especially B6, calcium, and magnesium), and even the balance of bacteria or yeast in your intestines.
For example, here are common root cause reasons that can contribute to high oxalates on an OAT test:
- a high intake of high-oxalate foods (spinach, almonds, beets, sweet potatoes, chocolate)
- fat malabsorption or low bile flow
- B6, magnesium and calcium insufficiency or deficiency (B6 helps convert oxalate precursors into harmless compounds, and magnesium and calcium bind oxalate in the gut to reduce absorption)
- vitamin C supplementation in large doses
- fungal or yeast overgrowth (or chronic exposure to mold)
- the loss of oxalate degrading bacteria after antibiotics
- genetics
Yes, supplements can add to the load but they are usually just one piece of the picture. While slippery elm is known to be high in oxalates, it is rarely the single cause of a spike. It is much more about the whole pattern of diet, gut health, and metabolism.
If you would like to take a break from slippery elm but still want to soothe your stomach lining, you can continue using the other supportive ingredients you already take such as L glutamine, marshmallow root, and DGL. Aloe vera inner gel (not whole leaf) can be added to coat and calm the gut. Zinc carnosine is another non-plant option that has been studied for mucosal support. And collagen or bone broth can also provide amino acids to feed intestinal cells without adding plant oxalates. But!! Make sure B6 is sufficient because collagen and bone broth are rich in amino acids like glycine and hydroxyproline. Without enough vitamin B6, your body struggles to process these fully, and more of their byproducts (like glyoxylate) can turn into oxalate, which can raise oxalate levels.
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Hi B.
I was focusing on the supplements and thought another diet to follow. I didn’t think about the factors you mentioned could cause oxalate issue. Thank you.
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