Overview of Gout
Purine metabolism and why we require uric acid, but at the right levels, are all about gout. Here is a food list for purines and uric acid.
A common nickname for gout is “the illness of kings.” Gout has long been mistakenly associated with the kind of excessive food and alcohol use that was only accessible to the wealthy and powerful. Gout, however, has a wide range of risk factors and can affect anyone.
Many of the items we eat now and modern diets raise the risk of gout. Foods that are excessively acidic to the system make up the modern diet. They lack the minerals required to neutralize acids and keep the system’s pH at a healthy level. Many people’s gout is brought on by a mix of poor dietary and lifestyle choices. Dangerous bodily imbalances are caused by acidic diets, inadequate water intake, liver damage from prescription medications and meals, improper beverage selections, environmental pollutants, and food additives. These abnormalities directly lead to uric acid overproduction and underexcretion. Gout is an uncomfortable result of uric acid buildup in the blood and tissues. However, uric acid is a necessary antioxidant for our body’s demands and protects our DNA. In primates and other mammals, plasma uric acid concentrations are correlated with longevity. This is probably a result of the antioxidant abilities of urate. Every living human cell contains purines, from which uric acid is processed. In fact, some medical conditions, including MS, have a direct correlation with low UA levels.
Maintaining healthy uric acid levels while preventing the buildup that can cause gout is our challenge. Fortunately, by changing our eating habits, drinking more water, and using special dietary supplements, we may treat gout and lessen or stop these excruciatingly painful bouts. It has been demonstrated that foods high in calcium have a positive impact on the uric acid levels in our blood. Purine and uric acid metabolism will also benefit from lowering our ammonia load, enhancing digestion, and boosting the condition of our liver and kidneys.
What brings on gout?
Gout develops when the body’s excess uric acid, a natural waste product, builds up and deposits needle-like urate crystals in the joints. This may occur because uric acid synthesis rises or—more frequently—because the kidneys are unable to adequately eliminate uric acid from the body. Gout attacks can result from uric acid levels being raised by several meals and medications. They consist of the following:
- Foods like red meat and seafood (the source of these foods, what you eat them with, and the amounts you consume make a difference)
- Excessive alcohol use
- Fructose-rich foods and beverages
- Some drugs include low-dose aspirin (although we do not advise people with gout to stop taking low-dose aspirin because it can help prevent heart attacks and strokes), some diuretics (water pills), such as hydrochlorothiazide (Esidrix, HydroD), and immunosuppressants used in organ transplants, such as cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune), and tacrolimus (Prograf)
Urate crystal deposits in and around the joints may develop over time because of elevated uric acid levels in the blood. White blood cells may be drawn to these crystals, resulting in excruciatingly painful gout attacks and persistent arthritis. Kidney stones can also be caused by uric acid accumulation in the urinary system.
Food, nutrients, minerals, probiotics, and the production of uric acid
Your own cells perish, which accounts for roughly 70% of your daily UA load. The other 30% (typical diet) is generated by the food we consume. Because of these factors, sustaining a gout-free lifestyle depends greatly on the foods and vitamins/minerals we choose to consume. Normal cell death occurs at a rate for healthy cells, however the death rate for sick cells might be frighteningly high. We normally develop fewer cells as we get older. But those cells’ health is directly impacted by lifestyle decisions. Premature cellular death can be brought on by stress, illness, weight loss, and even vigorous physical activity. The uric acid burdens on the system rise as a result of this cell death. When you combine this with pH imbalances (resulting from food and lifestyle choices), the blood supply of uric acid is significantly boosted. The kidneys and bowels may not be able to eliminate all of these elevated levels in a 24-hour period.
Gout attacks are the end product of this ongoing daily process, which if untreated can lead to too many acute attacks and joint injury. Patients with gout frequently have inadequate levels of certain vitamins, minerals, and good bacteria. Through diet and supplements, they can provide the cells extra help in these regions.
Antioxidant-producing substances have the beneficial effect of squelching free radicals. What makes this useful? because quantities of free radicals increase during gout bouts. Because it can aid in the breakdown of the excess uric acid that causes gout, pantothenic acid, or vitamin B5, also known as the “anti-stress vitamin,” is beneficial as a treatment for gout.
The body is thought to manufacture less uric acid-producing enzymes with the aid of folic acid. Xanthine oxidase, an enzyme needed to convert purines into uric acid, may be inhibited by quercetin. The top long-term gout medication, Allopurinol, uses this approach. In tests using test tubes, quercetin has achieved this.
Vitamin A, E, B1, B2, B6, and B12 deficiencies are rather common in gout patients and should be addressed in your multivitamin. A nutrient called bromelain helps the body stop inflammation. As swollen joints are the cause of gout, this vitamin can help with the symptoms.
Last but not least, give good bacteria their due attention. A specific quantity of probiotics, or friendly bacteria, need to be present and functioning in the intestines in order for nutrients to be absorbed, vitamins to be produced, and waste to be regularly eliminated.
Who is at risk of gout attacks?
More than 3 million Americans suffer from gout. Men, women after menopause, and those with kidney illness are more likely than others to experience this disorder and its repercussions. Obesity, hypertension (high blood pressure), hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol and triglycerides), and diabetes are all highly associated with gout.
The issue lies in a good diagnosis because several other kinds of arthritis can resemble gout. When a patient initially has swelling and severe pain in one or two joints, followed by periods of no discomfort in between bouts, medical professionals may suspect gout. Initial gout bouts frequently begin at night. Finding the distinguishing crystals is necessary for diagnosis. A needle may be used by the doctor to remove fluid from the afflicted joint, and the fluid will be examined under a microscope to check for the presence of urate crystals.
Crystals can also be found in tophi, or deposits, which can show up under the skin. These tophi growths appear when gout is already advanced. Although it’s crucial to monitor uric acid levels in the blood, they can occasionally be deceptive, particularly if taken during an acute attack. For a brief period of time, levels may be normal or even low during attacks. Some people may have higher uric acid levels without having gout. In cases of chronic gout, X-rays may reveal joint deterioration.
Things to keep in mind
- Gout is indicated by intermittent arthritic attacks.
- Doctors can appropriately diagnose gout by identifying the distinctive crystals in the fluid of joints.
Gout can be managed naturally.
To sustain lower uric acid levels, people with chronic gout typically need lifetime care.
Gout can be controlled by making lifestyle changes like losing weight, cutting back on alcohol, drinking more water, and eating more foods that are alkaline to the system.
