Gout is a type of arthritis caused by having too much uric acid in your blood. Uric acid is formed when your liver breaks down a protein called purine, found naturally in many foods and drinks. When purines are broken down, what’s left is uric acid.
If you consume a lot of food and drinks with a high purine content, your uric acid levels will rise and your kidneys may not be able to get rid of it all in your pee.
And if your uric acid levels remain high for some time, this may cause crystals of uric acid to form in the soft tissue (cartilage) around your bones and in your joints. It’s these crystals that cause the pain and swelling associated with an attack of gout, as they build up around the joints and under the skin.
If you have
, you may need to make changes to your diet to reduce the risk of a flare-up. This typically involves limiting food and drinks that are high in purines. However, it’s still important to .You may also need to lose weight if you have a
(BMI) above 25, as being overweight increases the amount of uric acid produced in your body. Losing weight will also reduce stress on your joints.It’s not always safe to cut certain foods from your diet and you should speak to a doctor before doing so. However, if you have gout, limiting high-purine foods is generally recommended. These include:
Some vegetables, like asparagus and spinach, have a relatively high purine content. However, studies suggest a diet containing these vegetables doesn’t increase the chance of a flare-up of gout.
You don’t need to limit foods that are low or moderately low in purines.
Certain drinks also contain a high concentration of purines. You may not need to avoid these altogether, rather limit how much you drink. These include:
Alcohol is processed by the liver where it’s turned into lactic acid. The presence of lactic acid can make it harder for the kidneys to get rid of uric acid, causing it to build up in your blood and make it more likely you’ll have an attack of gout.
As well as limiting foods high in purines, you should:
By doing this you should be able to
, but you may still require medication to help control the condition.Important: Our website provides useful information but is not a substitute for medical advice. You should always seek the advice of your doctor when making decisions about your health.