Gout Information
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Gout is a disease usually caused by having too much uric acid in the body. Too much uric acid may not cause symptoms for years, but after a time it can cause painful joint inflammation. The most common site of inflammation is the joint between the foot and the big toe. Later attacks often affect other joints of the foot and leg. Less often, the arms and hands are affected.

Gout tophi
In addition to the arthritis, gout causes the formation of tophi. Tophi are lumpy deposits of uric acid crystals just under the skin. Common places for tophi to develop are in the outer edge of the ear, on or near the elbow, over the fingers and toes, and around the Achilles tendon in the ankle. Gout can also cause kidney stones made of uric acid.

Gout prevalence
Most people who have gout are middle-aged men, but it can occur at any age. Only 5 to 10% of cases of gout occur in women, most often after menopause.

Gout Research Update
A 12-year study has largely confirmed the conventional wisdom about the dietary causes of gout. Diets high in purine-rich beef, pork, lamb, and seafood were found to increase the risk of gout. Diets high in dairy foods that are rich with casein and lactalbumin, which reduce serum uric acid levels, were found to decrease the risk of gout. Surprisingly, intake of purine rich vegetables did not affect gout risk.

Alcohol and gout
Beer is more likely to be associated with gout than spirits. Moderate wine consumption does not appear to raise the risk. For more gout information by Ray Sahelian, M.D.

Gout treatment questions
Q. A webpage on leukemia states that leukemia will increase the risk of gout. Why is this so?
   A. Leukemia leads to high uric acid levels which make one more prone to gout.

Q.  I was on a diet and had just lost 26 pounds when I got an attack of Gout. The diet clinic that I went to had just given me a diuretic which was all natural and after I week on it I developed the symptoms. I checked with all the ingredients and they all were used to help gout.
   A. Rapid weight loss has the potential to temporarily raise uric acid levels and precipitate a gout attack.

Q. If a person has a gout condition can using honey as a sweetener make it worse? I use honey to sweeten my hot tea. I have gotten to the point that I do not use much cane or beet sugar; however most of the sugar that I do use is beet sugar.
   A. As long as honey is not used in small amounts, we don't see honey having a major influence on gout symptoms.

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gout diet gout symptom gout treatment