Gout and beer: Link and effect on gout flares
Link and effect on gout flares
Beer is high in organic compounds called purines, which may increase the risk of gout flares. A person living with gout should not drink beer over the recommended limits.
Gout is a form of inflammatory arthritis that develops in response to hyperuricemia, which is the medical term for excess uric acid in the blood.
In gout, this excess uric acid crystallizes and accumulates within the joints. This triggers an inflammatory response that may lead to joint pain, swelling, and issues with mobility.
In some cases, the hyperuricemia that triggers gout is due to increased uric acid production. The body creates uric acid when breaking down organic compounds called “purines” from purine-rich foods and beverages. Beer is rich in purines, so consuming beer may worsen gout.
This article describes what gout is and outlines the link between beer and gout. We also list some additional risk factors for gout and discuss whether it is safe for a person with the condition to drink beer and other types of alcohol.
Alcohol contains organic compounds called purines, which the body breaks down and converts to uric acid. Overproduction of uric acid can lead to hyperuricemia.
Hyperuricemia increases the risk of gout. This is because excess uric acid within the blood can crystallize and form deposits within the joints.
A 2021 review found that most studies linked gout to the consumption of alcoholic beverages, such as beer and spirits. The researchers recommended that people with gout, as well as those at risk of developing the disease, limit their alcohol consumption to prevent gout episodes or flares.
Different types of alcohol contain different types and amounts of purines. Beer is high in a type of purine called guanosine.
Besides consuming alcoholic beverages such as beer, other risk factors for gout include:
- having a family history of gout
- being male
- having obesity
- drinking beverages that have a high sugar content
- consuming a diet that is high in purine-rich foods, such as:
- red meat
- organ meat
- seafood
- taking diuretics or water pills
- living with one of the following health conditions:
- high blood pressure
- diabetes
- metabolic syndrome
- poor kidney function, or chronic kidney disease
- congestive heart failure
A 2019 study measured the purine content of different foods, alcoholic beverages, and supplements.
The study found the highest levels in beer and certain animal-based products.
An older study from 2014 investigated the risk of gout flares according to the quantity of alcohol a person consumes. The study found that a person consuming 1–2 alcoholic beverages a day was at a much higher risk of developing a gout flare than a person who had no alcohol in a 24-hour timeframe.
The study also found that the reaction time between drinking alcohol and the development of a gout flare was rapid, occurring within 24 hours.
The National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism provides general guidelines for adults regarding drinking in moderation. They state that males should limit their alcohol intake to two drinks or less per day, while females should limit their intake to one drink or less per day.
However, if a person is experiencing a gout flare, they may wish to avoid alcohol until their gout is under control with medication.
The older 2014 study found that consuming beer, wine, or liquor was associated with an increased risk of recurrent gout flares.
As such, the study authors advised that people with gout limit their intake of all types of alcohol to reduce their risk of recurrent flares.
Gout is a type of inflammatory arthritis that develops in response to hyperuricemia, which is the medical term for excess uric acid levels in the blood. A person may develop hyperuricemia due to consuming a purine-rich diet. Beer and other types of alcohol are high in purines, so consuming alcohol may increase the risk of a gout flare.
A person who has gout may wish to limit or avoid alcohol, particularly if they are experiencing a gout flare.
Anyone who experiences difficulty limiting their alcohol intake should talk with their doctor for further advice and guidance.
Link and effect on gout flares
Beer is high in organic compounds called purines, which may increase the risk of gout flares. A person living with gout should not drink beer over the recommended limits.
Gout is a form of inflammatory arthritis that develops in response to hyperuricemia, which is the medical term for excess uric acid in the blood.
In gout, this excess uric acid crystallizes and accumulates within the joints. This triggers an inflammatory response that may lead to joint pain, swelling, and issues with mobility.
In some cases, the hyperuricemia that triggers gout is due to increased uric acid production. The body creates uric acid when breaking down organic compounds called “purines” from purine-rich foods and beverages. Beer is rich in purines, so consuming beer may worsen gout.
This article describes what gout is and outlines the link between beer and gout. We also list some additional risk factors for gout and discuss whether it is safe for a person with the condition to drink beer and other types of alcohol.
Alcohol contains organic compounds called purines, which the body breaks down and converts to uric acid. Overproduction of uric acid can lead to hyperuricemia.
Hyperuricemia increases the risk of gout. This is because excess uric acid within the blood can crystallize and form deposits within the joints.
A 2021 review found that most studies linked gout to the consumption of alcoholic beverages, such as beer and spirits. The researchers recommended that people with gout, as well as those at risk of developing the disease, limit their alcohol consumption to prevent gout episodes or flares.
Different types of alcohol contain different types and amounts of purines. Beer is high in a type of purine called guanosine.
Besides consuming alcoholic beverages such as beer, other risk factors for gout include:
- having a family history of gout
- being male
- having obesity
- drinking beverages that have a high sugar content
- consuming a diet that is high in purine-rich foods, such as:
- red meat
- organ meat
- seafood
- taking diuretics or water pills
- living with one of the following health conditions:
- high blood pressure
- diabetes
- metabolic syndrome
- poor kidney function, or chronic kidney disease
- congestive heart failure
A 2019 study measured the purine content of different foods, alcoholic beverages, and supplements.
The study found the highest levels in beer and certain animal-based products.
An older study from 2014 investigated the risk of gout flares according to the quantity of alcohol a person consumes. The study found that a person consuming 1–2 alcoholic beverages a day was at a much higher risk of developing a gout flare than a person who had no alcohol in a 24-hour timeframe.
The study also found that the reaction time between drinking alcohol and the development of a gout flare was rapid, occurring within 24 hours.
The National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism provides general guidelines for adults regarding drinking in moderation. They state that males should limit their alcohol intake to two drinks or less per day, while females should limit their intake to one drink or less per day.
However, if a person is experiencing a gout flare, they may wish to avoid alcohol until their gout is under control with medication.
The older 2014 study found that consuming beer, wine, or liquor was associated with an increased risk of recurrent gout flares.
As such, the study authors advised that people with gout limit their intake of all types of alcohol to reduce their risk of recurrent flares.
Gout is a type of inflammatory arthritis that develops in response to hyperuricemia, which is the medical term for excess uric acid levels in the blood. A person may develop hyperuricemia due to consuming a purine-rich diet. Beer and other types of alcohol are high in purines, so consuming alcohol may increase the risk of a gout flare.
A person who has gout may wish to limit or avoid alcohol, particularly if they are experiencing a gout flare.
Anyone who experiences difficulty limiting their alcohol intake should talk with their doctor for further advice and guidance.
Is it possible to drink beer with gout? | Eternal questions | Question-Answer
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AiF Health №22 02/06/2016
Unfortunately, this is a fairly common myth that has no basis. On the contrary, beer is strictly prohibited. Any alcohol increases the production of uric acid and delays its excretion from the body. And in beer, moreover, the content of purine, which is involved in this process, is higher than in wine and other alcoholic beverages.
It is the increased level of uric acid in the blood that is the cause of gout. The disease affects the joints, and, in fact, it is arthritis, but with a specific mechanism of action. Sodium urate – a derivative of uric acid – crystallizes and is deposited in small particles in the joints, which leads to their destruction.
“In addition to the joints, an increased content of uric acid accompanies the pathology of the cardiovascular system,” says Sergey Tereshchenko, MD, Professor, Head of the Department of Myocardial Diseases and Heart Failure, Research Institute of Cardiology. A. L. Myasnikova RCNPK of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Honored Worker of Science of the Russian Federation . – Hypertension, coronary heart disease, and other diseases may develop. To prevent this, your doctor will likely prescribe you a course of allopurinol or colchicine, which lower the level of uric acid in your blood. True, the second is taken when acute manifestations of gout occur, and the first – to prevent them.
And of course, great attention should be paid to nutrition during treatment. After all, according to recent studies, gout is most predisposed to excessive consumption of fatty animal foods and alcohol. Therefore, alcohol is completely excluded, animal fats, offal, sausages – too, and the consumption of meat and fish is severely limited.
Emphasis on vegetables, fruits, cereals – foods that do not affect the production of uric acid. But only a doctor can choose a diet in detail, prescribe drugs and exercise therapy.
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Prevention of gout
It has long been known that lovers of beer, offal and alcohol are more likely to suffer from gout.
Who knows the risk factors can do a lot to prevent the disease. What should you pay attention to if there are cases of gout in the family, that is, there is a clear predisposition to this pathology?
- Reduce alcohol consumption
Alcohol should be consumed in small quantities or without it. You should be especially careful with beer (even non-alcoholic) and whiskey, as they are high in purines. When alcohol is consumed, the level of urate in the blood increases due to its effect on metabolism.
- Limit fatty foods.
Daily fat intake should not exceed 70 grams. The risk zone includes lovers of smoked sausages, sausages, bacon, lard.
- Be careful about eating foods that are high in purines.
Foods containing purines must be dosed into the menu. Large amounts of purines are found, for example, in meat, sausages, offal, brewer’s yeast, anchovies, herring, sprat, sardines, fish and poultry skins.
Many plant foods, such as lentils, peas, white beans, kale, spinach, and Brussels sprouts, are also high in purines. Recent studies have shown that the role of such products in the development of a gout attack is greatly exaggerated, doctors allowed them to be introduced into the diet quite actively, but you still should not be zealous and it is not recommended to include them in your diet every day. Low-fat milk and dairy products and eggs are purinarms, as milk protein promotes the excretion of uric acid through the kidneys.
- Maintain optimal weight
Extra pounds lead to many diseases. You should adhere to a balanced diet and remember the dangers of not only plentiful meals, but also strict debilitating diets.
- Go in for sports
You need to move a lot in everyday life and do sports, go to the pool and do gymnastics regularly.
- Fight snoring.
Recent research has revealed an amazing thing.
When sleep is interrupted by cessation of breathing (as occurs with snoring), the body reacts by releasing hormones that have negative effects on the body and affect the development of hypertension and gout. Taking into account all of the above factors, it is possible to influence them and minimize the risk of developing gout.
If high uric acid levels are already a concern, how can you reduce the risk of another attack? Lifestyle changes can reduce uric acid levels below six milligrams per deciliter. This concentration gives good chances enough for many patients despite the genetic predisposition. In this case, the disease may not progress, and the person may never experience a pain attack.
- Regular medical examinations.
It is important to systematically measure the level of uric acid, if necessary, correct it with diet or medication and follow all doctor’s orders. If possible, you should be treated in a sanatorium. Sanatorium-resort therapy favorably affects the condition of patients with gout.
- Drink enough water.
Everyone knows that it is desirable to drink at least 2 liters of pure water a day, but for those suffering from gout, the drinking regimen is especially important. 3-4 times a year, after consulting a doctor, you should take a course of alkaline water, which accelerates the breakdown of uric acid and enhances its excretion from the body. In addition, mineral water stimulates the kidneys.
- Go in for sports.
During an exacerbation, the affected joint must be spared and not subjected to any stress. But sport is very important for boosting metabolism. Therefore, outside of pain attacks, it is necessary to systematically engage in physical education, visit a fitness club, go to the pool, Pilates, body balance, stretching. Dosed walking is useful.
- Get rid of extra pounds
Extra pounds adversely affect the body, load the joints. You need to get rid of them, but not with the help of drastic food restrictions and fasting (even one-day ones).
Rigid diets and heavy meals should be avoided. It is necessary to revise your menu, include more vegetables and fruits in your diet, limit the consumption of foods rich in purines. It is desirable to exclude alcohol completely. It is better to switch to light food and drink more clean water.
- Physiotherapy treatments
During remission, it is worth taking a course of physiotherapy, which will be selected by a specialist, taking into account the severity of the process. On the recommendation of your doctor, you can purchase home physiotherapy devices that use magnetic exposure or a combination of infrared radiation with a laser. These devices are safe, they relieve pain and inflammation, they are convenient to use.
- Take warm baths with herbal supplements
Before going to bed, you can take warm baths (38-41 degrees), it is advisable to add chamomile, sea salt, mint, St. John’s wort to the water. Relaxing warm baths relieve spasms, improve blood flow, and alleviate the condition.
- Therapeutic exercise
Gout sufferers can do basic physical education on their own. Active movements should alternate with passive ones and be combined with breathing exercises. Exercises should be performed in a well-ventilated room, movements should be smooth, not cause pain. A set of exercises should be advised by the attending physician, taking into account the area of the lesion and the condition of the patient.
- Massage
Massage is performed outside the acute stage. It will only be effective if it is done correctly. First, light massage movements should be near the affected area and gradually stroking and soft movements should move to the area of the affected joint. The duration of the session can be 30-60 minutes
It is quite possible to stop the development of gout and get rid of painful attacks, you should only follow all the doctor’s recommendations, adhere to a healthy lifestyle, avoid feasts and drinking large quantities of alcohol.