Gout The Ultimate Guide - Everything You Must Know About Gout

Causes of Gout
Gout is caused by elevated uric acid levels in your blood. This may lead you to the question, "where do we get uric acid from?" A Breakdown of Cells Quite simply put, uric acid is the breakdown of amino acids. Most of these come from animal proteins, but they are present in other foods and beverages. Not all amino acids turn to uric acid, but aminos that break down into purines turn into uric acid. Some beneficial amino acids are used by our body, and whatever is left over from purine amino acids form uric acid which is excreted by the kidneys. While it may seem complicated, if we are healthy this process is quite normal and natural for our bodies to manage. Certain other factors can affect uric acid levels going up like, cancer. If you are on chemotherapy for cancer you can have excess uric acid because the chemo breaks down aminos in your body forming purines that turn into uric acid.Most of the time, there are a lot of contributing factors to why uric acid levels rise and cause gout flares. Underlying Disease and MedicationsIf you have underlying disease that affects your kidneys, you may not be able to clear uric acid from your body. There is also a genetic defect that affects the way you metabolize and get rid of uric acid, but this cause is actually rare and happens early in childhood. Certain medications may increase your risk of gout. If you take diuretics that help pull fluids from your body, some may cause the uric acid to stay in your body. This is why it is important to let your doctor know if you are at risk if you are being prescribed new medications. One very strong cause of gout is, diet. Since purines can cause uric acid levels to rise, a diet high in purines can lead to gout. Between 10% to 15% of our purines come from foods that we eat. Let's take a look at some of the foods that can cause gout. Gout Causing Foods that can lead to or trigger gout are higher in purines than other foods. While you wouldn't want to cut certain things completely, you may need to talk to your doctor about the safe amounts you can consume to prevent your uric acid levels from getting too high. These foods include: Foods High in Fat - Remember talking about "the disease of kings?" This was one reason that aristocracy was prone to gout in ancient days. They could afford the rich tasting and high fat meals.