A metabolic condition called gout is brought on by too much urate in the blood. Another name for it is uric arthritis. As a by-product of the body’s purine or waste product breakdown, urates, which are salts of uric acid, are created. Purines are aromatic organic substances that are a crucial component of the body’s DNA and RNA. Foods high in purines include meat, fish, and chocolate. Because only a small portion of society had access to a lot of meat and other similar foods, this illness was once also known as the disease of kings and the rich. Purine overconsumption can result in hyperuricemia, which is bad for your health. It is crucial to remember that hyperuricemia, or elevated urate in the blood, is not a disease in and of itself and frequently goes unnoticed. Gout can only develop if uric acid salts crystallize. Numerous joints in the body can be impacted by this condition, but the big toe joint is most frequently affected. Severe pain, swelling in the joints, and decreased mobility are the symptoms. Read on to learn everything there is to know about the causes, prevalence, symptoms, and ways to prevent gout.
How does gout occur?
Gout has hyperuricemia as its primary cause. The term “hyperuricemia” refers to an elevated level of urate in the blood. Gout develops when urates accumulate in the tissues of the joints, kidneys, and other organs. Urine levels may be elevated because of a person’s lifestyle, use of specific medications, genetic makeup, or coexisting illnesses… In about 12% of cases, diet is the underlying cause of gout. Obesity, consuming a lot of fructose, purines, and alcohol, and gout are all linked. Gout development is significantly influenced by genes as well. Hyperuricemia is linked to some hereditary syndromes. In 75% of people with metabolic syndrome, gout also develops. Obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, and elevated blood fat levels are all components of the metabolic syndrome. Diuretics, or medicines that increase the body’s excretion of water, also make the condition worse.
Only a third of urate is eliminated from the body through the digestive tract, skin, saliva, or nails. Urate is excreted from the body through the kidneys. A weaker body’s ability to eliminate uric acid salts is also impacted by kidney diseases.