Got Gout?

Gout is an arthritic condition that causes inflammation, swelling and pain, usually in one joint in the body - commonly the big toe. However, it can affect any of your joints. Gout is common in men aged 30 to 60, postmenopausal women, and older persons. It is believed that gout affects approximately 3 to 5 million Americans.

Causes of Gout:

• Diet (too many purine foods in diet; high fructose corn syrup)
• Excess Uric Acid Buildup -
  Your kidneys do not pass urate fast enough, or your body produces too much. If too much is produced and not passed, tiny crystals form and collect in your tissues.
• Drinking excess alcohol
• Certain medication (such as diuretics)
• Family History/Genetic Predisposition
  
• Kidney Disease
• Overweight
• Psoriasis
• High Blood Pressure

Symptoms:

• Severe pain in your joints
• Swelling and warmth around your joints
• Red and shiny skin around your joints
• Fever

Complications:

• Spread to other joints
• Damage to joints
• Formation of kidney stones
• Damage to kidneys if crystals form there

Diagnosis:

• Above symptoms and high levels of urate in blood

Treatment:

• Raise and rest your limb(s) (no physical exercise)
• Apply ice to reduce swelling
• Cherries, cherry extract, or unsweetened cherry juice (helps remove purine, uric acid, and soften kidney stones)
  
• Watermelon (neutralizes acid)
  
• Vitamin C
  
• Medicine to be prescribed by your physician

Prevention:

• Special Purine-Free Diet (see a licensed health professional)
• Limit red meat. Avoid organ meats, shellfish, sardines, lentils, whole wheat/wheat germ, monosodium glutamate (MSG), and artificial sweeteners.
  
• If taking fish oil as a supplement, only use salmon or cod liver oil (others are too high in purine)
  
• Remove all high fructose corn syrup
• Consume nuts and vegetables daily
• Black coffee consumption may be beneficial
• Reduce alcohol content (beer and port especially)
• Supplement with Vitamin C - A look at nearly 47,000 U.S. men studied from 1986 to 2006 for a variety of health issues found that every 500 milligram increase of daily vitamin C intake produced a 17 percent decrease in the risk for gout. Among the men studied those with daily intake of 1,500 supplemental mg a day had a 45 percent lower risk of gout than those who took in less than 250 mg a day, said the team headed by Choi, who is now at Boston University. Archives of Internal Medicine.
• Supplement with calcium, magnesium glycinate, vitamin B6, and vitamin D
• Lose weight if overweight
  
• Manage stress
• Eat balanced diet
• Drink sufficient amounts of filtered water
• Allopurinol (prescribed by physician)
• Uricosurics (prescribed by physician if intolerant to allopurinol)
• Uricase (enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of uric acid to allantoin for lowering uric acid)

Sources:
US Pharmacist 7/2009
UK Gout Society
Nutritional Concepts Inc.