Health Blog

  Gout is an extremely painful form of arthritis in which uric acid crystals accumulate in the joints. It most often affects the big toe but commonly affects other joints in the leg. Men are more likely to suffer gout than are women, although women's risk greatly increases after menopause. There is about one in 10 people over the age of 60 develops gout. Foods already known to cause gout have high levels of purine compounds. Such foods include red meat, organ meats, and shellfish. But diet isn't the only cause of gout. Many gout sufferers inherit a tendency to generate too much uric acid; others inherit an inability to efficiently eliminate uric acid in the urine. The most important risk factor for whether a person develops gout or not, is family history. All of the research that has been conducted on gout over the last century or so has shown that foods and beverages high in purines -- such as alcoholic beverages, beer, gravies, and certain kinds of meat -- are strongly linked to development of gout. New research has been conducted to check whether soft drinks have effect in altering uric acid level in blood. What soft drinks do contain is high-fructose corn syrup. Unlike glucose, the sugar our bodies uses for fuel, fructose raises uric acid levels. High levels of uric acid are linked to gout. In the other hand, diet sodas -- which don't have fructose -- don't alter gout risk. Moreover, people who eat lots of sweet fruits, such as apples and oranges, also up their gout risk. But there may be certain limited situations, such as treatment-resistant severe gout, where reducing all sources of fructose may be of use. Overall, fruits offer benefits against other major disorders such as stroke, diabetes, and certain cancers.   Read also artilcle nexium no prescription