Uric acid and purines are certainly not the same thing. High uric acid in the blood is hyperuricemia, which can lead to the risk of gout attacks, also called hyperuricemia. Purine is a type of cellular nucleic acid substance. Through a number of metabolic processes, it is eventually converted into uric acid and excreted from the body. This is the reason why a low purine diet is recommended for people with hyperuricemia. Many foods contain too much purine, such as soy products, seafood, beer and other foods that are too high in purine, and patients with hyperuricemia and gout should be aware of this. So, uric acid and purine are two completely different concepts.”