Gout - What Are The Dietary Recommendations?

Author: Joe Fowler Time for reading: ~3 minutes Last Updated: August 08, 2022

Gout - What Are The Dietary Recommendations?

Gout is a chronic metabolic disease, and leading the diet is limiting the consumption of meat and meat products.

Gout is a ubiquitous metabolic disease that more commonly affects males. The manifestation of the disease is mainly in the form of joint inflammation - arthritic attacks that occur with swelling, severe joint pain and redness with warming of the proper skin.

The cause of the disease lies in the excessive accumulation in the blood of the waste product of purine metabolism - uric acid. Through the bloodstream it reaches the joint fluid and there undergoes a process of crystallization, after which it begins to irritate the structures of the joint and causes inflammation.

There are two main reasons for the accumulation of uric acid in the body. One is its overproduction, which is related to the excessive intake of foods rich in purines. The other reason lies in the impaired excretion of uric acid in the urine, which may be due to concomitant disease of the body, as well as the intake of certain medications (diuretics).

Patients with hypothyroidism (reduced levels of thyroid hormones in the blood) have been found to have a problem with the excretion of uric acid in the urine. Therefore, in case of increased uric acid values, an examination by an endocrinologist is recommended to rule out thyroid disease.

The disease is more common in men, after the age of 45, with obesity or alcohol abusers. On the first line are the recommendations for weight loss. It is important to do this slowly and gradually, and not suddenly, because the exact opposite effect can be achieved by increasing the level of uric acid and thus exacerbating the condition.

Exacerbation of the disease is observed more often in the warm and hot months - spring and summer, because then more often dehydration can occur and the concentration of urine, which hinders the excretion of uric acid. It is recommended to drink more water - 2-2.5 liters per day.

In addition to taking regular therapy with medications that aim to both relieve acute attacks and prolong interictal periods, the benefits of following a proper diet are emphasized.

First of all, a large part of meat products that are rich in purines should be excluded from the menu . Such are the game meat, the so-called offal - kidneys, liver, heart, brain, girls (testicles) and others. The amount of red meat should also be reduced. Fish and seafood - mussels, oysters, caviar and others are also among the foods whose consumption should be limited.

In the interictal periods the consumption of meat is allowed up to 2-3 days in the week, provided that the portion does not exceed 150-200 grams . It is good to reduce the consumption of smoked meat, meat broths and various sausages to a minimum. In terms of food preparation, priority is given to cooking and baking before frying.

Salt intake should be in moderation. Reduced use of any kind of highly spicy spices is recommended. It is important to have more alkalizing products in the menu - vegetables (except spinach, broccoli ) and fruits.

Foods recommended for gout sufferers include dairy products, eggs, and whole grains. Moderate consumption of weak coffee and poorer tannin teas is acceptable. The fruits are preferably cherries, cherries and cranberries.

Alcohol abuse can make the condition worse. Beer and wine contain a considerable amount of purines, the intake of which is a prerequisite for increased uric acid formation.

Last but not least, the avoidance of any type of stressful situation is placed, as the connection between the frequency of gout attacks in the presence of an increased level of stress in everyday life has been proven. 3806

Gout - What Are The Dietary Recommendations?

Related Articles