Even people who’ve never had gout have heard how extremely painful it is. But how many of us ever do anything to avoid it? Almost no one—largely because gout is a silently-developing condition that sneaks up on us. We don’t realize we’re getting it…until the pain comes. And then, oh boy, we realize.
You don’t have to let this happen to you! Gout is an inflammatory condition that occurs when uric acid in your blood forms into crystals and these crystals make their way into your joints—like tiny knives embedded in your flesh—often starting with a big toe. But gout doesn’t have to be an inevitability even if your uric acid level has started rising. New research has just shown that a key to avoiding gout is knowing what your uric acid level is now.
Study findings: A research review done at Aukland University in New Zealand found that gout is actually slow to develop—it can take 10 to 15 years once uric acid is above normal.
The researchers analyzed data from four studies involving a total of nearly 19,000 people (no one had gout at the time the studies began). They found that people with a normal uric acid level have just about a 1% chance of developing gout in the next 15 years…but the risk for people whose baseline uric acid level is above normal is higher and grows progressively over time, rising from 26% risk after five years to 40% after 10 years to 49% after 15 years.
Note: Typically, a normal uric acid level for women is between 2.5 and 7.5 milligrams/deciliter (mg/dL) and for men, between 4 and 8.5 mg/dL—these ranges exist because of variations at testing labs.
CHECKING YOUR URIC ACID LEVEL
Uric acid is a chemical created by the breakdown of proteins called purines, some of which are made by your body and some of which come from foods. High uric acid in the blood, a condition called hyperuricemia, is on the rise, in part because of the high-fructose American diet and, in turn, obesity. Up to 25% of Americans have uric acid that’s above normal, more so men than women.
Health-care providers generally order uric acid tests only when they suspect gout—meaning, after a patient has reported pain and probably already has gout. And that doesn’t give you time to turn the number around preemptively and avoid gout.
Much better: Bottom Line expert Andrew L. Rubman, ND, suggests adding a baseline uric acid test to your next wellness visit…as well as getting tests for two key inflammation markers, the “sed” rate (or erythrocyte sedimentation rate) test and a high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) test. Combined, the results will let you know if you need to take steps to curb inflammation and in turn dial down your risk for gout.
The tests above are especially important if you have a family history of gout. But genes aren’t the only gout risk factor. Making the following lifestyle changes can help you naturally reduce an elevated uric acid level and reduce your risk of gout…
- Lose weight if you’re overweight.
- Work with your doctor to control high blood pressure, diabetes and kidney disease, all of which increase gout risk.
- Avoid alcohol—the more you drink, the higher your gout risk.
- Avoid foods and beverages high in added fructose. This sugar increases uric acid production in your body.
- Take a multivitamin that includes zinc and magnesium. (Low levels of these nutrients have been linked to hyperuricemia.)
- Avoid foods high in purines, including red meat, turkey, veal, organ meat, anchovies, sardines, scallops, mussels, trout and tuna.
- Stay physically active with at least 30 minutes of exercise on at least 5 days per week—exercise helps the body move uric acid away from muscles, joints and tendons.
