Uric Acid Levels

Uric acid is an organic compound comprising carbon, oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen. It the final oxidation product of purine (high protein) breakdown during digestion. We produce very small quantities of uric acid which serves as strong antioxidants and a strong reducing substance. Normal levels of uric acid should fall between 3.0 - 7.0 mg/dL (milligram per deciliter), however, normal depends upon the time an individual gets tested. High uric acid, especially a constant one is a cause for concern, excess serum accumulation of uric acid can lead to a number of health complications.

Uric Acid Levels in Blood

Uric acid is produced from the breakdown of the food one consumes and the body's cells. Excess uric acid is filtered by the kidneys and passed out of the body in urine (the remaining enters the bloodstream). If too much uric acid is being produced or the kidney is not able to filter it out sufficiently, uric acid levels in blood increases. The condition of excessive concentration of uric acid in the blood is known as hyperuricemia. There are many factors that contribute to high uric acid levels in the blood, such as certain drugs and medication, a very high purine (protein) diet, thyroid problems, excessive alcohol consumption, Hodgkin's disease, genetics, obesity, high blood pressure, etc. Read about the foods high in uric acid.

Uric Acid Levels and Gout

As the concentration of uric acid increases in the blood, it causes solid crystals to form within joints. This extremely painful condition is known as gout. When it's left untreated, the crystals can harden and build up into hard lumpy deposits called tophi in the joints and skin. In some instances, incidence of gout are due to kidney stones or kidney failure. These large crystals lumps are mostly found around the ankles, feet, large toe, ears and eyes. One can even feel them under the skin where they are formed.

Uric Acid Levels in Preeclampsia

High uric acid levels in pregnancy is a cause of concern for both, the mother and the unborn. High uric acids levels during pregnancy is known as a condition Preeclampsia, where high blood pressure and excess protein in the urine is highly evident after 20 weeks of pregnancy. This condition calls for immediate treatment. Research has proven that women with gestational hypertension combined with hyperuricemia were more disposed to have shorter a gestation period, smaller birth weight and an increased risk of preterm or premature labor.

Uric Acid Levels in Urine

As uric acid gets filtered out by the kidneys, it passes in the urine and some small amounts in the stool too. When the concentration of uric acid in the blood increases, the levels of uric acid in the urine will decrease. As mentioned earlier, excess uric acid will cause crystals to be deposited in the joints, leading to a form of arthritis called gout. Read more about uric acid reduction diet.

For more information on treating gout, you can also refer to gout treatment diet.

Uric acid levels need to checked to find the cause of high levels and determine the course and duration of the treatment. Having a high uric acid level does not necessarily mean that you will have only gout, it could also be a symptom of a kidney problem. Uric acid is mostly measured in urine and blood.

Uric Acid Reduction Diet

Diet plays an important role in maintaining the level of uric acid in the body. High levels of uric acid in the body can be reduced by consuming certain foods and reducing, or completely avoiding purine rich foods. An ideal diet for uric acid reduction should include a profusion of carbohydrates, a moderate intake of protein and a very low intake of fat. An uric acid reduction diet can also help reduce the risk of developing arthritis, gout and kidney disorders that are caused due to hyperuricemia.

What to Eat

Include some of these uric acid foods to reduce the level and production of uric acid in your system.

Potassium-Rich Foods

A uric acid diet should consist of foods that are rich in potassium. Here are some of the foods that you can include in your diet:

Complex Protein-Rich Foods

It is usually advised that the diet for reduction of uric acid should contain foods rich in complex protein. These include:

Low Purine and Protein Foods

People who are suffering from hyperuricemia should ideally be including these foods in their uric acid diet which are known to be low in purines:

Uric Acid Reduction Foods

Foods rich in bromelain and vitamin C can also be very effective in reducing uric acid. These include products like:

Along with these steps, plenty of water should be consumed to ensure elimination of uric acid through urine as well.

What Not to Eat

Along with consuming foods that lower uric acid in the body, there has to be stress laid on avoiding certain foods that will lead to a rise in the uric acid levels in the body as well. When following a diet for the reduction of uric acid, foods that are extremely high and moderately high in purines and protein, especially some kinds of meat and seafood, should be strictly eliminated.

Foods with High Levels of Purine

Foods extremely high in purines and protein would include foods like the following:

Foods with Medium Levels of Purine

Those foods which are moderately high in purines and proteins include some of these:

Alcohol of any form should be avoided completely when consuming an uric acid reduction diet. It increases the levels of uric acid in the body, thus hindering the process of uric acid reduction.

Foods with Low Levels of Purine

Foods that have low levels of purine would include these:

Foods that contain high levels of purines are best avoided, while those that contain medium and low levels of purines must be consumed moderately. There has to be a strict watch kept on the amount and the consistency of consumption.

Consult a doctor who will be better able to guide you on the kind of food that you must eat and what you must avoid. With the help of the list provided above, you can form your own diet plan. Be extra careful in cutting down and ideally eliminating all those foods that can increase the uric acid levels in the body.

All in all, an uric acid reduction diet should be low in proteins and purines and high in potassium and complex carbohydrates. It is also essential to maintain a moderate body weight for the reduction of uric acid in the body. The diet, along with medication and exercise, should be able to successfully lower uric acid levels in the body.

High Uric Acid Symptoms

When the body produces too much of uric acid in the blood or is unable to remove sufficient quantities of the same, then high uric acid symptoms occur...

The body produces uric acid as a waste by breaking down a substance known as purine, which is found in several types of foods. And this waste is carried in the blood, passes through the kidneys and eliminated in the urine. However, in some cases, the body remains unable to flush out the required amount of uric acid, or it starts producing too much of it. This condition of high uric acid level is clinically known as hyperuricemia. Generally, it does not become a source of concern. However, in some cases, people who showed high uric acid levels in their body, were found to develop medical conditions such as gout, kidney stones or experienced kidney failure. Causes which have been associated with elevated uric acid symptoms include alcohol abuse, genetics, certain drugs, caffeine and niacin or vitamin B3.

Diseases such as Hodgkin's disease (a malignant disorder in which there is progressive (but painless) enlargement of lymph tissue followed by enlargement of the spleen and liver) hypothyroidism, leukemia, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, obesity, and psoriasis are also considered to be responsible for high uric acid level. Consumption of foods high in purine are also related with the condition. Such foods include organ meat, game meat, anchovies, herring, gravy, dried beans, dried peas and other foods. The symptoms indicate the presence of the condition have been described in the following.

Symptoms of Too Much Uric Acid

The symptoms which occur in people diagnosed with high uric acid level are actually caused by the complications of the condition. As mentioned earlier, this disorder could cause gout, kidney stones or kidney failure. The characteristic symptoms of each of these complications are as follows:

Gout

Gout occurs when there is an accumulation of uric acid crystals in a joint. Severe pain that becomes worse even with light pressure, such as that of a blanket, is the most prominent symptom of gout. Other symptoms include warmth, swelling and tenderness in the affected joint. Peeling of the skin around the affected joint is also a manifestation of gout, apart from restricted movements in the affected joint and fever.

Kidney Stones

Affected people may not notice any symptoms until a stone has logged itself in the ureter. And when it does, it may cause pain in the back, side, abdomen, groin or genitals. Painful and frequent urination, nausea or vomiting and blood in urine are the other symptoms.

Kidney failure

If symptoms such as decreased urination, swelling in the limbs, shortness of breath, confusion and drowsiness occur in someone with high uric acid, then it may indicate that he has kidney failure. Other symptoms of the same include fatigue, confusion, seizure, or chest pain.

Although experiencing high uric acid symptoms as mentioned above indicate problems with kidney or a condition such as gout, it is not necessary that the underlying cause is high uric acid. This is because, these three conditions could be caused by other factors as well. So it is advisable to go for a medical checkup if any of these symptoms show up. And if hyperuricemia is found to be the cause, then apart from what the doctor prescribes as the medicine, it would be wise for you to change your diet. Meaning, go for foods which are low in purine. Avoid foods that are high in alkaloids and protein. Meats, seafood, alcohol, herring, mussels, scallops, caviar, baked products, sardines, and most shell-type sea foods should be omitted from the meal menu. Vegetables such as dried beans and peas, asparagus, legumes, mushrooms, spinach, kidney beans, lentils, lima beans, rhubarb, cauliflower, etc., must also be avoided, as their consumption is also related to increase the levels of uric acid in the body and so do eating white sugars and all kinds of fried foods.