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Gout causes:
A plain English answer
to "What causes gout?"
So you're wondering about gout causes... The physical process that leads to the painful condition called gout or gouty arthritis is pretty straightforward. When a body accumulates too much uric acid, it can result in the formation of crystals that are deposited in the joint fluid (synovial fluid) and joint lining (synovial lining). White blood cells then respond to attack the crystals and release chemicals of inflammation, causing intense pain, often accompanied by heat and redness of the joint tissues.
What causes the build up of uric acid, technically called hyperuricemia? When a person eats foods with purines, it is broken down by the body into uric acid. Normally, uric acid dissolves in the blood, passes through the kidneys and is expelled out of the body in urine. But levels of uric acid may increase if the kidneys are not getting rid of the uric acid or a person is eating too many foods containing purines. (Note: Elevated levels of uric acid don't always result in gout, some people with hyperuricemia don't ever develop gout.)
The rest of this page spells out a number of gout causes, highlighting risk factors scientists have linked to developing gout or triggering gout attacks.
Gout causes: Heredity,
dehydration and joint injury
- Heredity - 18 percent of patients with gout have a family history of the disease, according to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. Researchers suspect there may be an inherited inability to adequately process uric acid. In September 2008, scientists identified 3 genes that can increase the risk of gout. To learn more about the study, click here.
- Dehydration - A study presented at the 2006 annual scientific meeting of the American College of Rheumatology found a link between dehydration due to hot and humid weather and gout attacks. Some 197 gout sufferers were asked to ask questions about risk factors that occurred two days before they suffered a gout attack. When temperatures rose to 87 to 105 degrees Farenheit, the risk for a gout attack doubled. The same effect was found when humidity rose drastically. Researchers did not find any link between rain or barometric pressure and gout attacks. Study authors concluded that individuals with gout should drink more fluids when it's hot and humid to stop dehydration and a possible gout attack.
- Previous joint injury - Medical professionals have found that a joint that has been injured in the past is more susceptible to developing gout.
See 8 natural remedies for treating gout on our page, Gout Home Remedies.
Gout causes: Eating purine-rich foods
Because the processing of purines results in uric acid, medical experts have long advised limiting foods high in purines to prevent the onset of gout or gout attacks. A massive, 12-year study that involved more than 46,000 men published in 2004 in the New England Journal of Medicine backs up the fact that eating purine-laden foods contribute to gout.
 The 2004 article reports that men who ate the most seafood (fish and shellfish) were 51 percent more likely to develop gout compared to men who ate the least seafood. For example, the study found that eating canned tuna more than once a week increased gout occurrence risk by 28 percent. Meat was also linked to gout. Men who consumed the most beef, pork and lamb had a 41 percent higher incident of gout than the men who ate these foods the least often.
This same study found that vegetables don't follow the same rules. There was no link between eating large amounts of purine-rich vegetables and gout.
Below is a list of foods with high purine content. Purine-rich vegetables are excluded from the list as they pose no risk, according to this latest research.
Very high purine content: Anchovies, Brains, Gravies, Kidneys, Liver, Sardines
High and moderately high purine content: Bacon, Beef, Bluefish, Bouillon, Calf tongue, Carp, Chicken, Chicken soup, Codfish, Crab, Duck, Goose, Halibut, Ham, Lamb, Lobster, Mutton, Oysters, Perch, Pork, Rabbit, Salmon, Sheep, Shellfish, Snapper, Trout, Tuna, Turkey, Veal, Venison
Gout causes: Obesity The 12-year study of 46,000+ men discovered that men with a body mass index (BMI) of 35 or more were almost three times more likely to develop gout than men with a BMI or 21. The same goes for women. At the 2005 American College of Rheumatology meeting, a report was presented analyzing the findings of a study of 10,000 women who were followed for 24 years. There were 444 cases of gout identified during that period. Women who were overweight (BMI of 25.0 to 29.9) were three times more likely to develop gout than thinner women. Obese women (BMI of 30 to 34.9) had a six times greater risk for gout and women with a BMI of 35 or more were 10 times more likely to have gout than women at a healthy weight.
This website not only addresses gout causes, it also offers natural solutions for gout. See our page on cherries and gout.
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The information on this website is for informational purposes only and is not intended to replace medical advice or diagnose or treat any health condition. The statements on this site have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
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