Uric acid is a waste by-product that the body creates after breaking down purines. Purines are naturally produced in the body and are found in certain foods. When you eat foods that contain moderate amounts of purines, your body filters out the uric acid through your kidneys, and it’s disposed of in your urine. But if you eat too many purines, or if your body cannot process purines, then the uric acid builds up in your body.
If there is too much uric acid in your body, you can develop gout, a complex form of arthritis that’s very painful and can be disfiguring.
There are some natural ways you can reduce excess uric acid in the body and manage your joint pain.
How to Reduce Uric Acid and Manage Joint Pain
If you have gout, there are two things you want: to reduce your uric acid and manage your pain symptoms. The following tips can help reduce uric acid and control the symptoms of a current bout of gout.
Take Supplements
There are a number of joint health supplements on the market that claim to help reduce your pain and inflammation. However, it is important to get a supplement specifically formulated with joint health in mind. This often means the proper combination of ingredients, including collagen, Boswellia serrata, and turmeric, to ensure each one optimizes the effects of the others.
The convenience of taking capsules that can travel with you anywhere also makes them an easy way to stay consistent in your healthy lifestyle. Be sure to always buy high-quality joint health supplements so that you can maximize the benefits from your efforts.
Limit Purine Consumption
One of the best and easiest ways to limit the amount of uric acid in your body is to limit the amount of purines you consume. Foods that are high in purines include:
♦ Organ meats: Liver, kidneys, and sweetbreads
♦ Game meat: Pheasant, veal, and venison
♦ Fish: Herring, trout, mackerel, tuna, and others
♦ Seafood: Scallops, crab, shrimp, and roe
♦ Sugary drinks: Fruit juices and sodas
♦ Alcohol: All alcoholic beverages
♦ Added sugar: Honey, agave, and high-fructose corn syrup
♦ Yeast: Nutritional yeast, brewer’s yeast, and yeast supplements
Drink More Water
Help your kidneys do their job by giving them water to keep the process moving. Drinking water can flush out uric acid more quickly and bring you pain relief faster.
Dehydration has become an almost-epic condition across the globe, with people of all ages, genders, and nationalities not consuming enough water. Not being adequately hydrated has a significant effect on your entire body and mind. Sticking to this tip may improve more than your uric acid levels.
Lose Weight
Extra pounds raise uric acid levels. The body produces some uric acid on its own, and fat cells make more uric acid than muscle does. Extra weight can make it harder for your kidneys to filter out the uric acid, compounding the problem.
As an additional note, a crash diet that makes you lose weight too quickly can also increase uric acid levels. Sensible weight loss is key here.
Check Insulin
Everyone should know their insulin level, even if they don’t have diabetes. Insulin is needed to move sugar from your blood into your cells—too much insulin results in excess uric acid and weight gain.
If you have a balanced insulin level, you should be okay in this department, but it doesn’t hurt to cut back on your refined sugars and carbohydrates to prevent insulin spikes and crashes.
Add Fiber to Your Diet
Fiber is excellent for the body in many different ways. Having the right dietary fiber in your meals can improve your digestive health, give you regular bowel movements, help you feel full longer, improve cholesterol levels, regulate blood sugar levels, help in the prevention of heart disease, and ward off bowel cancer. Fiber also helps your body get rid of uric acid.
Incorporate Vitamin C Into Your Diet
Many studies have looked at the effect of vitamin C on uric acid levels. When you review all of the data, it appears that vitamin C can significantly lower uric acid to the point where it could potentially reduce excess uric acid and prevent gout.
Reduce Stress
Inflammation, which is connected to almost every known chronic disease, may cause a rise in uric acid, or uric acid may cause inflammation. Current studies are looking at stress and uric acid. One thing is certain: stress, poor sleeping habits, and lack of exercise can lead to inflammation. If inflammation does cause uric acid levels to rise, it’s an area where you can improve your odds of avoiding excess uric acid.
Check Your Meds
Some medications and supplements can cause uric acid to build up in the blood. If you take any of the following, you may want to connect with your healthcare provider or pharmacist to see if there’s a suitable replacement.
♦ Aspirin
♦ Vitamin B3 (niacin)
♦ Diuretics
♦ Immunosuppressive drugs
♦ Chemotherapy
The Bottom Line
When you eat food with moderate amounts of purines, your body converts the excess into uric acid. In the best situations, uric acid leaves the body, and it doesn’t become a problem. However, when there’s too much uric acid, it can cause problems for some people. Those problems can lead to gout, a serious form of arthritis.
There are ways to reduce uric acid in your body and to optimize joint strength and health. By changing your diet, supplements, and medications, you may instantly realize greater joint health. The first step is to select a supplement that prioritizes your joint health. The next step is to reduce your purine intake and boost your water, fiber, and vitamin C consumption.
Beyond that, a visit to your healthcare provider can help you take even more steps to ensure your joints are healthy and able to support you well into the future.
