While I am a fully licensed physician in Kansas, this communication does not constitute personal medical advice or establish a physician-patient relationship. See your own physician to discuss your particular diagnosis and treatment
GOUT
Gout is an inflammatory arthropathy that occurs with supersaturated uric acid levels that form crystals in joints and cause severe pain and inflammation. Gout has been steadily increasing worldwide and is now the most common type of inflammatory arthropathy in adults. Estimates in the US are that about 4% of the adult population is affected. This could be 9 million people. Previously, gout was known as the disease of kings because, kings suffered from it due to lavish diet and alcohol consumption. Dietary factors such as purine intake (in seafood and meat), alcohol, and fructose intake contribute to this.
Gout is commonly seen in those with obesity, metabolic syndrome, diabetes mellitus type 2, fatty liver disease, hypertension, diuretic use, and with chronic kidney disease.
Prevention of gout has been noted with low-fat dairy products, coffee, and vitamin C.
Most frequent food triggers of gout: Seafood 62%, alcohol 47%, red meat 35%, tomatoes 20%, vegetables 12%, fruit 12%, sugar-containing drinks 10%. As the percentages do not add up to 100%, sometimes more than 1 food type has been shown to trigger gout in a particular patient.
If you eat a low carb, high fat diet, you are less likely to have gout!
Pro tip: If you RAPIDLY change from a high carb to low-carb diet, your risk of gout slightly increases in the short-term, but will decrease in the long-term if you have transitioned fully to low-carb, high-fat eating.
For more information regarding fructose, watch my Williams Family Medicine channel YouTube video titled: Fear the fructose. Here is the link: youtu.be/0qULpQ7CUaQ.
I hope this information helps you and your loved ones!
Jason Williams, D.O.