How to kick gout

HISTORICALLY called the disease of kings, gout was common among wealthy gents who could afford to eat and drink to excess.

These days it doesn’t just affect the rich. You get gout when your metabolism of purine – a chemical component of DNA which is made in the body and found in some food and drinks – gets out of kilter.

Purine is broken down in the liver, producing uric acid as a byproduct. Uric acid enters the bloodstream, travels to the kidneys and is excreted in urine. If uric acid can’t be cleared, blood uric acid levels rise.

Once uric acid rises above 0.42 mmol/L (millimoles per litre), crystals can start to form in tissues and joints, particularly in toes and fingers. This can culminate in sudden and excruciating joint pain, called an acute gout attack.

Eating healthy is key in managing gout or reducing your risk of the disease. Foods high in purine or that increase uric acid metabolism should be limited. These include red meat, seafood, sugar-sweetened drinks, fruit juice, foods high in fructose, and alcohol.

Foods to eat more of:

Cherries

Bioactive components in cherries lower uric acid production in the liver and improve excretion via the kidneys. They also have antiinflammatory properties.

Milk

Milk promotes uric acid excretion. Having two or more daily servings of dairy, especially from reduced fat and skimmed milk, confers a 42-48% lower risk of gout compared to less than one serving.

Coffee

A number of studies have shown that coffee is associated with a lower risk of gout. Coffee is a diuretic and therefore increases urine production.

Vitamin C

A large review of 13 studies found taking vitamin C supplements (about 500mg a day for around a month) led to a small reduction in blood uric acid of 0.02 mmol/L.

But high intakes of Vitamin C pills could increase the risk of kidney stones.

Collins is professor in nutrition and dietetics at the University of Newcastle. Source: https://theconversation.com

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