Risk Factors in Gout
Gout, the Disease of Kings, is a form of arthritis usually characterised by sudden episodes of swollen and painful joints caused by the build up of urate crystals in the joints.
Current research points to the existence of genetic variations resulting in the increased risk of gout occurring. These genetic abnormalities mean that the body is not able to process the uric acid, which is produced as a harmless waste product, as it should.
However environmental factors do come into play such as the consumption of a diet rich in purines (a chemical found in most foods) and alcohol intake. A study carried out on alcohol consumption and its effect on gout developing found that higher levels of purines are found in beer compared with spirits.
The researchers drew the conclusion that where men drank at least two beers a day that they were two and a half times more likely to develop gout compared with those that didnt drink. In men who had the equivalent in spirits, although there was a raised risk of gout, it was slightly less being around one and a half times more to likely to develop.
Unfortunately, this doesnt mean that soft drink consumers are in the clear. Drinks high in fructose, such as some fruit juices and sugar sweetened soft drinks such as colas, can cause a build up of uric acid. As little as two fizzy soft drinks a day is thought to increase the risk of gout by around 80%.
Cutting down on purine rich foods such as red meat, liver and shellfish can result in less uric acid being produced in the body. Cutting down on red meat has the added bonus of reducing the risk of developing bowel cancer.
A lack of vitamin C is thought to also increase the risk of gout. Vitamin C has two effects on the body with respect to gout; it eases the redness, heat and swelling associated with it and also helps to lower the levels of uric acid in the body by increasing the amount pushed through the kidneys. In doing so, vitamin C gives some protection against gout and reduces the frequency however this doesnt mean that it works in isolation. It is more important to ensure that people have a balanced diet which is low in red meats and with a limit on the level of alcohol consumption.
Other risk factors include having another condition such obesity (as well as excessive weight gain), high blood pressure, kidney damage, diabetes mellitus (a disease caused by total lack of or reduced effectiveness of bodily insulin), bone marrow disorders and vascular disease (a condition causes by the hardening and narrowing of the arteries). Also conditions which result in the body having a higher cell turnover such as severe psoriasis (a skin disorder) and some blood disorders means that the body produces more uric acid than usual.
If a person is already at risk of gout then certain triggers can cause the onset of gout. Dehydration is a common one. Other conditions which can act as a trigger include an injury to a joint, fever, excessive eating and binge drinking.
Some medicines are thought to increase the likelihood of developing gout by increasing the production of uric acid. Examples include water tablets (known as diuretics), aspirin (of a dose taken for a headache), some chemotherapy medicines (used in treating cancer) and niacin (for treatment of high cholesterol). There is some debate as to whether anticoagulants (which prevent blood clots forming) such as Warfarin increase the risk of developing gout.
By having a great understanding of the risk factors associated with gout it is possible to reduce the levels of uric acid in the blood to an extent that the symptoms do not occur.
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