What Causes Gout

By HelloLife

There are varying factors and risk that cause gout.

1. Uric acid build-up is the most common cause of gout. Gout is the build-up of urate crystals causes inflammation in a joint. This acid accumulation is waste product from purine breakdown in the body. Purine is found in the body and in some foods. In a scientific nutshell, purine is a crystalline compound that consists of caffeine, uric acid, and xanthine. Purines, in themselves, are not the problem. It's the excessive amount as a result of too many purines in the body and purines from foods. Under normal circumstances, uric acid is dissolved in the blood and passes through the kidneys and urine. When there's too much uric acid, it will build up in crystals in a joint. Gout is defined as the inflammation, pain, and swelling as a result of the excessive uric acid levels.

2. Lifestyle factors include: Alcohol consumption causes gout. Alcohol should ideally be completely eliminated from a gout sufferer's diet, but if you feel you have to drink, no more than two drinks a day for men is recommended and only one drink a day for women is recommended.

Obesity causes gout. If you are 30 lbs or more overweight, it is suggested you lose weight. This is especially true if you gained your extra weight in your adulthood. A high-purine diet causes gout. If you are at risk for gout, you should eliminate foods high in purines. They include: alcohol, broths, anchovies, gravy, duck, goose, herring, mackerel, mussels, mincemeat, sardines, organ meats (brain, heart, kidney, liver, sweetbread), partridge, roe, and scallops.

3. Certain medications cause gout. If you have high blood pressure or are taking anti-rejection drugs, you may be on a diuretic or low-dose aspirin. These types of medications increase your risk for gout.

4. Certain medical conditions cause gout. These diseases include: Arteriosclerosis (narrowing of the arteries) Diabetes Hyperlipidemia (high fat and cholesterol levels in the blood) Hypertension (high blood pressure)

5. Genetics. It's true one out of every five people who suffer with gout has a family history of gout.

6. Age and sex. Gout attacks are more prevalent in men between the ages of 40-50. Women become susceptible to gout after menopause. American Blacks are more susceptible to gout than other ethnicity groups.

7. Trauma causes gout because your body suffers change and that increases uric acid levels.

8. Chemotherapy causes gout because it increases uric acid levels.

9. Starvation and dehydration cause gout because of the changes your body goes through and these changes increase uric acid levels.

10. Exposure to lead causes gout because it increases uric acid levels.

11. Surgeries cause gout because it's a change that increases uric acid levels.

Since you know what causes gout . . .

Since you know the specific triggers of gout, you can make informed decisions about your health and risk of future gout attacks. You certainly control much of the power to live without gout.