Khaberni - "Abonet Dot Com" reports that gout, a metabolic disease, attacks the joints, and is caused by elevated levels of uric acid in the blood, typically resulting from an unhealthy diet rich in meats and sugars.
Historically, gout was known as "the disease of the wealthy" and "the disease of the kings," because it is linked to meats that the wealthy consume more than the poor.
The site - the official portal for German pharmacists - further clarifies that uric acid crystallizes in the blood and deposits in the joints, causing painful inflammatory responses. Normally, the body disposes of uric acid through the kidneys, but if uric acid accumulates in large amounts in the body due to diet or cellular breakdown, it burdens the kidneys to excrete.
Foods High in Purines
Uric acid originates from two sources: the breakdown of the body's own cells and the consumption of foods high in purines such as:
• Animal organs (liver and kidneys)
• Meats (especially red meats)
• Fish and seafood
• Skins of fish and poultry
• Yeast products (like Brewer’s yeast)
Not only does beer contain purines, but it also contains alcohol, which in turn prevents the secretion of uric acid through the kidneys. Moreover, alcohol stimulates the production of uric acid, thereby increasing the risk of its crystallization and causing a gout attack.
Fructose-Containing Beverages
The risks are not limited to alcoholic beverages alone, but also include sodas and fruit juices rich in fructose (fruit sugar), which increases the production of uric acid in the body, thereby indirectly promoting the formation of crystals. Numerous studies show a clear link between high fructose consumption and gout.
To avoid gout or to reduce the risk of its episodes, it is advisable to adjust one's diet by avoiding foods high in purines and beverages containing fructose, as well as abstaining from alcohol.
