Why snoring can trigger gout, too

SNORING can double the risk of developing gout, according to a study of 80,000 people.

Previously, the risk of gout had been found to increase a year after being diagnosed with sleep apnoea, a condition where the tissues in the throat collapse during sleep, causing the patient temporarily to stop breathing and then snore.

A new study by Keele University found the risk of developing gout continued beyond that time, especially among those with a normal BMI. It’s thought that the brief lack of oxygen caused by apnoea encourages the build-up of uric acid, the substance that lodges in joints, causing gout. The study authors called for research to see whether oxygen treatments for apnoea could also prevent gout attacks.