Excessive Ingestion of Almond Milk Causes Severe Hypercalcemia and Acute Kidney Injury in a Patient With Chronic Kidney Disease.

Abstract

Background: Almond milk has a higher calcium content than cow's milk. Hypercalcemia after consuming almond milk has been reported in infants, but to our knowledge, we report the first case of almond milk-induced severe hypercalcemia in an adult.

Case report: A 66-year-old male with a history of diabetes and chronic kidney disease was referred to the emergency department because of laboratory results that showed severe hypercalcemia and acutely elevated serum creatinine. The family member who brought the patient to the hospital reported that he had displayed intermittent confusion. History revealed that 4 weeks prior, the patient had stopped his habit of consuming a gallon of cow's milk every day because of hyperglycemia. He switched to consuming a gallon of unsweetened almond milk every day, leading to severe hypercalcemia. Other causes of hypercalcemia were ruled out. Treatment with intravenous fluids and calcitonin normalized the patient's serum calcium level and improved his kidney function.

Conclusion: The consumption of almond milk in large quantities is associated with the potential risk of hypercalcemia, especially in patients with chronic kidney disease. Careful consideration of the mineral content is recommended.