Uric Acid and Diet: What to Eat for High Uric Acid or Gout

Uric acid is a waste product your body makes.

It forms when your body breaks down purines.

Purines are natural compounds found in your cells.

They are also found in many foods.

Your kidneys filter uric acid out of your blood.

It then leaves your body in urine.

Some uric acid also leaves through your gut.

When your body makes too much uric acid, or your kidneys cannot remove enough, levels build up in your blood.

This condition is called hyperuricemia.

When uric acid builds up too high, it can form sharp crystals.

These crystals often settle in joints.

This causes gout, a painful type of arthritis.

Gout attacks often hit the big toe first.

They can also affect the ankles, knees, and wrists.

Uric acid crystals can also form in the kidneys.

This leads to kidney stones.

Over time, high uric acid is linked to chronic kidney disease.

Some research also connects it to high blood pressure and metabolic syndrome.

Several things can raise uric acid levels.

• Eating a lot of purine-rich foods
• Drinking alcohol, especially beer
• Drinking sugary drinks with fructose
• Being overweight or having obesity
• Having insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes
• Taking certain medications, like diuretics
• Having reduced kidney function
• Having a family history of gout

Genetics also play a role in how well your body clears uric acid.

Your gut does more than digest food.

It also helps remove some uric acid from your body.

Gut bacteria produce short-chain fatty acids, or SCFAs, when they ferment fiber.

SCFAs help calm inflammation and support the gut lining.

A weak gut lining can let inflammatory signals leak into the blood.

This may worsen inflammation linked to gout.

In an animal study, a probiotic strain called Lacticaseibacillus paracasei Jlus66 lowered blood uric acid levels in mice with diet-induced hyperuricemia.^[1]

The strain worked by blocking xanthine oxidase, an enzyme that makes uric acid in the liver.^[1]

It also changed uric acid transporter proteins in the kidneys, which helped the body excrete more uric acid in urine.^[1]

The mice also had more SCFAs, lower inflammatory markers like IL-6 and TNF-alpha, and a stronger gut barrier.^[1]

This is early animal research, so it does not prove the same effect happens in people.

Still, it points to the gut microbiome as a promising target for future uric acid research.

Foods high in purines break down into more uric acid.

• Organ meats, like liver and kidney
• Red meat, including beef and lamb
• Shellfish, like shrimp and mussels
• Anchovies and sardines
• Beer and other alcoholic drinks
• Sugary drinks and foods with high fructose corn syrup

Alcohol is a double problem.

It raises uric acid production and also blocks the kidneys from removing it.

Fructose works differently, since it uses up a compound called ATP inside cells and this process releases purines that turn into uric acid.

Some foods and drinks are linked to lower uric acid levels.

• Low-fat dairy, like milk and yogurt
• Coffee, in moderate amounts
• Vitamin C rich foods, like citrus fruit and bell peppers
• Cherries and cherry juice
• Whole grains and other high-fiber foods
• Water, to help kidneys flush out uric acid

Fiber may help by feeding gut bacteria that produce SCFAs, similar to the mechanism seen in probiotic research.^[1]

Plant-based purine sources, like beans and lentils, seem to raise uric acid less than meat sources.

If you have high uric acid or gout, small daily habits can add up.

• Limit red meat, organ meats, and shellfish to a few times a week or less
• Cut back on beer and other alcohol, especially during a gout flare
• Swap sugary sodas for water or unsweetened drinks
• Add more low-fat dairy to your day, like a glass of milk or a serving of yogurt
• Eat more high-fiber foods, like oats, vegetables, and whole grains
• Include vitamin C rich foods, like oranges or strawberries
• Stay well hydrated throughout the day
• Aim for a gradual, steady weight loss if you carry excess weight
• Talk to a doctor before starting any supplement, including probiotics

Weight loss should be slow and steady.

Fast weight loss can actually raise uric acid for a short time.

Some people benefit more from watching uric acid closely.

• People who have had a gout attack before
• People with a family history of gout or kidney stones
• People with chronic kidney disease
• People with obesity or metabolic syndrome
• People who drink alcohol regularly
• Older adults, since uric acid tends to rise with age

If you fall into one of these groups, a blood test can check your uric acid level.

Probiotics are live bacteria that may support gut health.

Some strains are being studied for their effect on uric acid.

In the mouse study on Lacticaseibacillus paracasei Jlus66, the strain lowered uric acid through multiple pathways at once, including the liver, kidneys, and gut microbiota.^[1]

This multi-target approach is interesting to researchers because gout has more than one cause.

However, this research was done in mice, not humans.

No probiotic supplement is currently approved as a treatment for gout or hyperuricemia.

Yogurt and fermented foods with live cultures are a reasonable way to support gut health in general, alongside a balanced diet.

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