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Q: I am a 31 year old male that is suffering from a case of gout. Which foods should I stay away from?
A: Gout is a disease typically characterized by high levels of uric acid in the body, which may then be deposited in one (typically the case) or various joints and lead to the so called gouty arthritis. It usually occurs in men, although about 10% of the cases may occur in women, typically after the menopause. It should be emphasized that a single uric acid determination being normal does not exclude the diagnosis. Also, patients who have elevated uric acid but do not have any symptoms should not be treated.
Regarding the diet to be followed, it should be noted that uric acid production in the organism typically arises from the metabolism of a class of substances referred to as purines. Hence, high purine foods should be eaten in moderation. Usual high purine containing foods include: all meats and meat extracts, gravy, seafood, yeast and yeast extracts, beer and other alcoholic beverages, beans, cauliflower, oatmeal, spinach, asparagus, peas, lentils, and mushrooms. Alcohol is not only to be avoided because it is high in purines but, also, because it inhibits the excretion of purines by the kidney, thus increasing the purine level in the organism. Furthemore, it is also recommended that a lot of fluids should be drunk, in order to minimize uric acid excretion by the kidneys and to minimize their prcipitation in the urinary tract. Finally, certain medicines, such as a class of water pills (diuretics) referred to as thiazides should be avoided, when possible, since they lead to an increase in the uric acid level in the body. Furthermore, a certain vitamin referred to as niacin, which is also sometimes used to lower cholesterol and tryglicerides, is another substance that leads to an increase in the uric acid level in the body and, hence, should only be used care. In addition, low doses of aspirin should also be avoided, when possible, since they inhibit the excretion of uric acid by the kidney and, thus, also increase the uric acid level in the body.
Updated: 08/28/99
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