Gout and uric acids have a clear connection. Understanding the link between gout and uric acid will help you to break it. This will prevent you from suffering from recurring gout attacks that can lead to serious health problems. This article will show you how to do it. Where does uric acid come? First, uric acid (UA), is a natural substance that is naturally produced in our bodies. It is formed when chemical compounds in our bodies, purines, are broken down during the body’s normal metabolism process.
Metabolism
Because UA acts as an antioxidant, it is actually a good thing to have in your bloodstream. Normal levels of UA are beneficial as it is one the most important antioxidants in humans. The shocking part is that UA can cause gout. Hyperuricemia is a condition in which the bloodstream has higher than normal levels of UA. Hyperuricemia puts you at greater risk of developing gout than those with normal levels.
Crystals of uric acid can form when there are high levels in your bloodstream. They circulate and deposit in your joints and connective tissues. The body’s immune system perceives this as a threat, and triggers an inflammatory response that floods the area with chemicals and cells. This can cause the area to become extremely painful, red, inflamed and swollen. This is what we call “gout”.
Kidneys
Your kidneys work at their best and produce normal amounts of UA. Any excess acid is eliminated from the body via your urine. There isn’t often enough time for crystals to form. If your body is producing too much acid or your kidneys aren’t working at their full potential, your body may not be excreting enough UA, which can leave your body with higher levels than normal. As you can see, this can lead to crystal formation or gout. Gout attacks can lead to more severe problems down the road.
Chronic gout can cause severe complications such as permanently damaged joints, chronic arthritis, kidney problems, high blood pressure, and painful kidney stones. Our bodies and our food supply contain purines. Consuming a lot of high-purine food only increases the amount of uric acids our bodies produce. Gout sufferers should reduce or avoid high-purine foods as much as possible. High-purine foods are usually high in protein, so they are easy to identify. This includes red meat, game and offal, poultry, fish and shellfish, as well as poultry, fish and chicken. You should also cut down on alcohol consumption, especially beer.
What to do?
You should eat more fruits and vegetables, not mushrooms, spinach, or asparagus, low-fat dairy products, high vitamin C foods and essential fatty acid foods. Drink lots of water. Many foods low in purines also have low levels of important vitamins, such as vitamins B and E, and other antioxidants. Supplements can be used to replace the purines in foods that are low in purines.
Supplements that can reduce uric acids levels such as vitamin C or L-glutathione are also available. Some herbs have been shown to lower uric acids levels. These include alfalfa (inhibits the production of uric acids), burdock, celery seed, and folic. These are just three things you can do in order to reduce and maintain healthy levels of uric acid to prevent recurring episodes of gout. These natural methods can help lower uric acid if used together.