Foods With High Uric Acid

Uric acid is a byproduct of the catabolism of purines; therefore, foods that are high in purines produce uric acid in the body. If your body produces high levels of uric acid or is unable to remove it well, then it may be important to consume foods that are low in purines. Unfortunately, you cannot completely eliminate purines from your body, because your body produces them. Gout is a disease caused by chronic high levels of uric acid.

Causes

• According to Medline Plus, high uric acid levels, or hyperuricemia, may be caused by acidosis, alcoholism, leukemia, diabetes or a high purine diet. In addition, hypoparathyroidism, lead poisoning, nephrolithiasis, polycythemia vera, renal failure and excessive exercise can cause high uric acid levels. Gout is a common cause of hyperuricemia and, subsequently, many treatments of hyperuricemia focus on gout and its symptoms.

Symptoms

• According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, gout in its beginning stage is considered asymptomatic hyperuricemia, and therefore lacks symptoms. Later stages of gout, however, have symptoms that include severe joint pain which includes swelling at the particular joint and shiny, taut skin. If you have gout, you may also experience chills, appetite loss and a general feeling of illness. Pain normally begins with one joint and then affects other joints.

Complications

• There are several complications that gout, or hyperuricemia, can produce. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, one possible complication is kidney stones. Some kidney stones may be a product of high uric acid levels. Patients with gout have a higher rate of kidney stones than the general population. Hyperuricemia can also block the kidney's passageways and cause kidney failure.

Purine Sources

• According to the Mayo Clinic, several foods are high in purines. Organ meats such as kidneys, brain, liver and sweetbreads are on the list, as well as seafood such anchovies, scallops, herring, sardines, fish roe, canned tuna, shrimp, lobster and mussels. Liver is particularly high in purines because it is the primary organ that handles a second form of purine catabolism. In general, most animal protein contains some purines, especially red meats like beef, lamb and pork. Meat extracts also contain purines. Purines are also found in some alcohols, beer more so than wine.

  Spinach, cauliflower, asparagus, mushrooms and legumes are also high in purines, but they don't increase your risk for gout.

Prevention/Solution

• According to the Mayo Clinic, there is no way to fully prevent hyperuricemia. However, they recommend consuming fewer purines to decrease its catabolism to uric acid. You can do this by reducing your consumption of meats and high-fat dairy products. They also recommend avoiding alcohol and maintaining a healthy weight.