Achieving normal uric acid levels is an important part of overall good health and avoiding the extremely painful condition known as gout.
Or perhaps you are one of the over 2.
5 million Americans who already has this condition and are looking for ways to avoid future attacks.
As your doctor may have told you, small differences in levels of this waste byproduct (uric acid is the final breakdown of purine) can make a huge difference in susceptibility to gout attacks.
For instance if your serum uric acid levels are 6 mg/100 ml your chances of having an attack are less than 1 in one hundred.
On the other hand an increase of blood serum uric acid levels of only 3mg/100 dl raises a person's changes from 1 percent to 90 percent.
No that is not a misprint! So let's talk about what your options are to correct high readings and achieve more normal uric acid levels.
Convention treatment, especially for those with chronically high readings, revolve around drug therapies mainly consisting of anti-inflammatory medications such as colchicine or indomethacin.
Long term medication to maintain normal uric acid levels often include colchicine and some nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
In chronic cases the uric acid lowering medication allopurinol, in combination with the sulfa drugs, probenecid, may also be prescribed.
But what if you have yet to have a gout attack or are leery of the side effects associated with the above medications? Are there natural alternatives worth considering to maintain normal uric acid levels? The answer is yes.
Nevertheless, it is always a good idea to run any new treatment approach by your doctor, if for no other reason than to make sure there aren't any additional contributing factors such as blood, thyroid, liver, or kidney problems.
Uric acid is a waste product that is eliminated through urine and bile.
If anything interrupts of makes this elimination process it stands to reason that levels of this naturally occurring substance will become too concentrated leading to the chance of deposits in the joint cartilage (most commonly in the big toe).
Probably the simplest first step you can take is to increase your fluid intake to encourage more bathroom breaks.
Most experts suggest around 50 ounces of water a day will do the trick.
A good second step is to lose is few pounds if needed.
Not all people with gout are overweight, but many are.
Statistically it is estimated that over half of all of those with gout are at least 15 percent overweight.
Research studies indicate weight reduction in obese individuals significantly reduces serum uric acid levels.
Our third step involves diet modification with increased fluid intake.
Certain foods are high in purines and should be eliminated from your diet.
Foods to avoid: organ meats, shellfish, brewer's yeast, baker's yeast, anchovies, sardines, mackerel, sweetbreads, oatmeal, spinach, and cauliflower.
Our fourth and final step is to minimize alcohol consumption.
Alcohol not only increases uric acid production but disrupts the body's ability to eliminate it.
In closing, certainly there is a lot that can be done to achieve normal uric acid levels, thus reducing the chances of gout.
You will have both prescription drug options, as well as natural alternative remedies, along with the lifestyle modification techniques described above.
One thing we can say for sure is that ignoring the warning signs of an impending painful gout attack is not an option, and early aggressive action should be your number one priority.