The cause of hyperuricemia and gout has a genetic predisposition, but poor diet, poor lifestyle, obesity, use of certain drugs, trauma and infection are important triggers of gout attacks. As the old saying goes, “Food is the key to life”, but for gout patients, there is another saying that “the disease comes from the mouth”. So how to control the diet, especially what foods can raise blood uric acid and what can lower blood uric acid, domestic and foreign researchers have conducted a lot of relevant studies on the above issues. The following is a detailed description of the relationship between various diets and blood uric acid.
Correction of poor dietary structure and lifestyle
Dietary and lifestyle changes are an important part of the prevention and treatment of hyperuricemia and gout. It is necessary to lose weight and control the intake of high purine food. Some studies have shown that strict restriction of purine-containing food intake can reduce the blood uric acid level by 10%-15% and effectively control gout attacks. Patients with gout attacks and uric acid stones should be encouraged to drink more water, more than 2 liters per day is recommended. Application of potassium citrate to alkalize the urine can effectively control the production of uric acid stones. In addition, in terms of self-protection, cold compresses are an aid for effective control of acute symptoms, and joint trauma and strenuous exercise should also be avoided. The latter is often a trigger for acute gouty arthritis attacks.
Different types of alcohol have different effects
Alcohol can promote uric acid production and inhibit renal uric acid excretion, thus raising blood uric acid. Patients with hyperuricemia and gout should strictly limit alcohol intake, especially avoiding beer.
In a 12-year study of 50,000 healthy men followed for 12 years, the relative risk of gout was 1.32 times greater for those who consumed 10.0 to 14.9 g of alcohol per day than for those who abstained, and increased to 2.53 times for those who consumed 50 g of alcohol per day.
Several studies have shown that alcohol not only reduces uric acid excretion but also increases uric acid synthesis, which can cause an increase in blood uric acid. In addition, other non-alcoholic substances that cause increased uric acid, such as purines, may be present in these alcoholic beverages. Beer contains high amounts of guanine, a purine component that is more easily absorbed, which explains to some extent why beer has a significant effect on blood uric acid. Red wine is rich in antioxidants, vasodilators and anticoagulant stimulants, which can reduce the effect of alcohol on blood uric acid.
Reasons why coffee lowers blood uric acid
The reason why coffee lowers blood uric acid levels may be related to the fact that coffee can reduce insulin resistance and lower insulin levels. Insulin resistance is associated with hyperuricemia, while insulin can reduce the excretion of uric acid by the kidneys, and coffee consumption can appropriately lower blood uric acid levels.
Fructose-containing beverages increase blood uric acid
Sugary drinks are often rich in fructose. Fructose is the only carbohydrate that increases blood uric acid. Fructose increases blood uric acid levels by accelerating the degradation of purine nucleotides and increasing purine synthesis.
The relationship between seafood, meat and dairy products and blood uric acid
Seafood, meat and dairy products are important foods in people’s lives, and it is a matter of great concern how much these foods affect blood uric acid.
Since different foods contain different types of purines and the bioavailability of different purines is different. For example, the bioavailability of ribonucleic acid (RNA) is greater than that of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), and the bioavailability of adenine is greater than that of guanine. Therefore, seafood, meat and dairy products, etc. have different effects on blood uric acid levels.
The relationship between vitamin C and blood uric acid
Vitamin C is one of the important vitamins needed by the body. Why can vitamin C lower blood uric acid levels?
Studies have shown that vitamin C competitively inhibits renal reabsorption through the proximal renal tubular anion exchange system by acting on renal tubular uric acid transporter protein 1 (URAT1) or sodium-dependent anion cotransporter; in addition, intake of large amounts of vitamin C increases renal blood flow rate and glomerular filtration rate and mildly reduces arterial pressure.
Vitamin C also has strong antioxidant effects, decreases oxidative stress and inhibits inflammatory responses, thereby inhibiting uric acid synthesis.
In conclusion
In conclusion, diet is closely related to blood uric acid levels. In terms of alcohol, beer and white wine can significantly increase blood uric acid, while appropriate red wine consumption can slightly lower blood uric acid levels. For beverages, fructose-containing beverages raise blood uric acid, while sugar-free beverages do not affect blood uric acid; coffee can lower blood uric acid, but it is not the effect of caffeine; caffeine and tea have no effect on blood uric acid. People are concerned about vitamin C can slightly lower blood uric acid, and dairy products also have the effect of lowering blood uric acid. In terms of food, meat and seafood can raise blood uric acid, fruits and vegetables have no elevating effect on blood uric acid, and plant and animal proteins have little effect on blood uric acid.
The above dietary findings have important guiding significance for gout patients, but our dietary structure is becoming more and more complex, so further research is needed on how to match the diet more rationally.