Uric acid is made when the body breaks down purines from food. Too much purine leads to high uric acid (hyperuricemia), harming the body. This article looks at high uric acid causes, symptoms, and what to eat or avoid if you have gout.
High Uric Acid Levels: Causes
High uric acid happens when the body makes too much, can’t get rid of enough, or both. Causes include:
- Diuretics
- Excessive alcohol
- Too many soft drinks or fructose – rich foods
- Genetic factors
- High blood pressure
- Immunosuppressive meds
- Kidney problems
- Leukemia
- Metabolic syndrome
- Niacin (vitamin B – 3)
- Obesity
- Polycythemia vera
- Psoriasis
- High – purine diet (liver, game meats, anchovies, sardines)
- Tumor lysis syndrome
- Cancer patients on chemo or radiation
High Uric Acid Levels: Symptoms
For gout from high uric acid:
- Joint pain/swelling
- Skin discoloration around joints
- Warm – to – touch joints
For uric – acid – caused kidney stones:
- Back pain on both sides
- Frequent urination
- Cloudy, bloody, or smelly urine
- Nausea/vomiting
Low uric acid is rarer. Symptoms include frequent urination and dehydration.
Foods to Avoid and Eat if You Have Gout
Gout is an inflammatory joint disease from high blood uric acid. It causes joint pain, heat, redness, and swelling, often in lower limbs, affecting men and post – menopausal women. Alcohol, high – purine foods, and trauma can trigger it.
Foods and Drinks to Avoid
- Red meat and offal (beef, liver, kidneys, tongue)
- Cold – water fish and seafood (tuna, sardines, shrimp, oysters)
- Yeast extract (Marmite, Vegemite)
- Beer and hard liquor
- Sugary foods/drinks (soda, processed fruit juices, granola bars)
- White bread and honey
Recommended Foods
- Vegetables (asparagus, spinach, cauliflower)
- Dairy (skim milk, low – fat yogurt)
- Tofu, whole grains, beans, lentils
- Citrus fruits (oranges, grapefruits)
- Coffee
- Avocados