High uric acid, can't drink, everyone knows this.
But it's easy to overlook one drink – sugary drinks. Although sugar-sweetened drinks are non-alcoholic, they can also make gout worse.
There is a 16-year-old boy in Zhejiang who drinks juice as water every day, but he got gout at a young age!
(Image source: Screenshot of Guangzhou Daily Weibo)
Can you get gout from sugary drinks?
Sugary drinks can increase the risk of gout!
Frequent consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages is strongly linked to an increased risk of gout, which has been widely confirmed by international clinical studies.
In a long-term study, 46,393 men who did not originally have gout were followed for 12 years. At the end of the study, 755 people had been diagnosed with gout. The study analysis found that men who drank more than two servings per month had an 85% higher risk of gout compared to those who consumed less than one serving of sugar-sweetened beverages per month.
Orange juice and apple juice, in particular, have been particularly associated with gout, suggesting that we should also drink these seemingly healthy juices in moderation.
The researchers also followed the female population for 22 years, covering 78,906 women who did not have gout between 1984 and 2006. The results of the study showed that 778 people were eventually diagnosed with gout. Women who consumed one serving per day had a 74% increased risk of gout compared to those who consumed less than one serving of sugar-sweetened beverages per month.
These findings suggest that frequent consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages may significantly increase the risk of gout in both men and women.
Fructose may be the biggest culprit!
The main culprit behind sugar-sweetened beverages increasing the risk of gout is probably the fructose component in them.
Common additives found in many sugar-sweetened beverages include high fructose syrup and sucrose. High fructose syrup is mainly made up of fructose, and half of sucrose is converted into fructose after it is broken down in the body.
A meta-analysis of two studies (125,299 participants, 1533 new cases of gout, with a mean follow-up of 17 years) noted that fructose intake was significantly associated with an increased risk of gout. Therefore, reducing the intake of sugar-sweetened beverages, especially those containing high fructose syrup or sucrose, is essential for the prevention and control of gout.
Why does fructose trigger gout?
To understand the causes of gout, we must first know that the end product of purine metabolism is uric acid. However, what is less well known is that the metabolism of fructose in the body prompts more degradation of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) to adenosine monophosphate (AMP). AMP is the direct precursor of uric acid, and its accumulation promotes uric acid production.
In addition, fructose intake increases insulin resistance, an indirect effect that leads to an increase in serum uric acid levels, thereby increasing the risk of gout.
In short, while drinking sugary beverages may bring momentary pleasure, fructose has a dual adverse effect on uric acid levels by promoting uric acid production and increasing insulin resistance.
Therefore, in order to effectively control uric acid levels, in addition to avoiding beer and high-purine foods such as seafood, the intake of sugary drinks should also be reduced to reduce the risk of gout.
To control uric acid, 3 dietary tips to master
Gout is a disease that is inseparable from "eating", how should it be eaten?
(1) These foods are bad when eaten
(2) "Limiting" eating is key
Some foods that you want to eat in particular should be limited to those included:
(3) These foods are added with nutrients on a daily basis
In addition, patients with gout should pay special attention to water intake in their daily life, and it is recommended to drink at least 2000 ml of water per day. Not only does this help to thin uric acid in the blood, but it also promotes the excretion of uric acid, reducing the risk of gout attacks.
In addition to plain water, gout patients can also drink some weak tea or coffee in moderation, which also helps to excrete uric acid to a certain extent. However, it is important to note that coffee that is too strong can cause an additional burden on the kidneys, so it should be consumed with caution.
In general, people with gout should maintain good drinking habits and choose appropriate beverages to help control uric acid levels and reduce gout attacks. At the same time, moderate consumption of weak tea or coffee can be used as a supplement to daily water intake, but care should be taken to avoid excessive caffeine intake, which can cause adverse effects on kidney health.
The content of this video/information/article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical guidance in any way and should not be construed as medical advice. Yimaitong is a professional online doctor platform, and the mission of the platform is to "sense the pulse of the world's medicine and help China's clinical decision-making". Yimaitong has a series of products such as "Clinical Guidelines", "Medication Reference", "Medical Literature King", "Yizhiyuan", "eYantong" and "ePulse", which fully meet the needs of medical workers in clinical decision-making, obtaining new knowledge and improving scientific research efficiency.