Contents
- What is gout?
- How does uric acid work on the body?
- How is uric acid related to insulin resistance?
- How do sweetened drinks affect blood uric acid levels?
- What are the risk factors for gout?
- Are obese people more likely to develop gout?
- What is the nutritional treatment for gout?
- Should people with gout limit the amount of protein in the diet?
- Should the diet of people suffering from gout reduce the amount of milk and dairy products?
- Is dietary action the primary treatment for gout?
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What is gout?
This is a condition resulting from increased levels of uric acid in the blood. Gout is a type of arthritis.
How does uric acid work on the body?
High levels of uric acid cause severe pain, especially in the feet. This is due to the accumulation of crystals in the joints. In contrast, acid build-up in the kidneys damages them.
Uric acid disrupts the functioning of the endothelium – the layer of blood vessels, and reduces the bioavailability of nitric oxide. All of this interferes with insulin’s ability to increase glucose uptake in cells.
How do sweetened drinks affect blood uric acid levels?
Sweetened refreshing drinks have been shown to increase uric acid in the blood. Diet drinks do not have this effect.
What are the risk factors for gout?
The risk factors for developing gout include:
- excess alcohol consumption
- large share of purines in the diet
- metabolic syndrome
- diuretics
- chronic renal failure
- genetic factors.
Are obese people more likely to develop gout?
Yes, visceral obesity increases the level of uric acid in the blood.
What is the nutritional treatment for gout?
Dietary treatment for gout relies primarily on a diet low in purines, which are found in abundance in legumes, meat, offal and some fish. Most patients, however, respond well to small amounts of legumes in their meals, which is beneficial for ensuring that the diet is sufficiently high in dietary fiber and magnesium.
Patients with gout are advised to stay hydrated, avoid alcohol, and gradually regulate their body weight.
Should people with gout limit the amount of protein in the diet?
There is no such necessity. Studies have shown that the total amount of protein in the diet, while maintaining the source appropriate for this disease, has no effect on the concentration of uric acid in the blood.
Should the diet of people suffering from gout reduce the amount of milk and dairy products?
There is no such necessity. It has even been found that milk and yogurt reduce uric acid levels in the blood.
Is dietary action the primary treatment for gout?
The main treatment is medications such as allopurinol and colchicine. However, adherence to dietary recommendations is a very important element of the treatment.
The photo is from: Rexness / Foter / CC BY-SA
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