High uric acid levels are not just a symptom of gout, the kidneys are also silently "crying"! How to avoid kidney damage?

In the public's perception, high uric acid seems to be closely linked to gout. Once high uric acid is detected, the first thing people think of is the severe pain in the joints during a gout attack. However, the harm caused by high uric acid is far more than that. It is quietly posing a serious threat to our kidneys. The kidneys are silently suffering behind the scenes, but are often ignored.

Uric acid is the end product of purine metabolism in the human body. Under normal circumstances, about two-thirds of the uric acid produced by the human body is excreted through the kidneys, and the other one-third is excreted through the intestines and other pathways. When too much uric acid is produced in the body, or the kidneys' function of excreting uric acid is impaired, the blood uric acid level will rise. Long-term hyperuricemia will form urate crystals in the body. These crystals are like "small bombs" that may "explode" at any time in various parts of the body, posing a health crisis.

Gout is undoubtedly the most well-known "masterpiece" of high uric acid. When urate crystals are deposited in joints and surrounding tissues, they trigger an acute inflammatory response, causing redness, swelling, heat and pain in the joints, seriously affecting the patient's quality of life. But this is just the tip of the iceberg. The kidneys, as the main organ for uric acid excretion, are even more affected.

High uric acid levels can cause damage to the kidneys in many ways. First, urate crystals can be deposited directly in the kidney tissue, causing interstitial nephritis. These crystals can stimulate the renal interstitial cells, trigger an inflammatory response, and destroy the normal structure and function of the kidneys. Early patients may only show symptoms such as increased nocturia and mild proteinuria, which can be easily overlooked. As the disease progresses, renal interstitial fibrosis gradually worsens, renal function gradually declines, and may eventually develop into renal failure.

Secondly, hyperuricemia can also lead to uric acid urinary stones. The solubility of uric acid in urine is reduced, making it easy to form stones. These stones not only cause symptoms such as renal colic and hematuria, but also block the urinary tract, resulting in poor urine excretion and causing hydronephrosis. Hydronephrosis will further compress kidney tissue and damage kidney function. Moreover, stones can easily cause urinary tract infections, which in turn aggravate kidney damage, forming a vicious cycle.

Furthermore, hyperuricemia is closely related to diseases such as hypertension and diabetes, which are themselves important risk factors for kidney disease. High uric acid levels can damage vascular endothelial cells, leading to abnormal vasoconstriction and vasodilation, which in turn causes high blood pressure. At the same time, hyperuricemia can also affect insulin sensitivity and increase the risk of diabetes. Hypertension and diabetes can further increase the burden on the kidneys and accelerate the progression of kidney disease.

So, how can we avoid kidney damage caused by high uric acid? This requires starting from all aspects of life.

In terms of diet, we should strictly control the intake of high-purine foods. Animal offal, seafood, meat, beans and other foods are rich in purine and should be eaten as little as possible. You can eat more fresh vegetables and fruits, which are rich in vitamins and dietary fiber and help promote the excretion of uric acid. At the same time, we should limit the intake of alcohol, especially beer, because alcohol will inhibit the excretion of uric acid and lead to increased blood uric acid levels.

Increasing water intake is the key to promoting uric acid excretion. Drink at least 2000 ml of water every day to ensure sufficient urine volume and help uric acid excrete from the body. It is best to choose boiled water or light tea, and avoid drinking sugary drinks and fruit juices, because the fructose in them will increase the production of uric acid.

Moderate exercise can also help control uric acid levels. Exercise can promote metabolism, enhance the body's immunity, and help lose weight. Obesity is one of the important risk factors for hyperuricemia, and losing weight can effectively reduce blood uric acid levels. However, be careful to avoid strenuous exercise, because strenuous exercise will produce a large amount of lactic acid, which will inhibit the excretion of uric acid and lead to increased blood uric acid.

For patients who already have hyperuricemia, in addition to lifestyle intervention, they may also need drug treatment. The doctor will select appropriate uric acid-lowering drugs according to the patient's specific situation, such as allopurinol, febuxostat, benzbromarone, etc. Patients should take medication strictly according to the doctor's instructions, regularly check blood uric acid and renal function, and do not increase or decrease the dosage or stop taking the medication on their own.

High uric acid is by no means a small problem, and its harm to the kidneys cannot be underestimated. We must raise awareness of hyperuricemia, pay attention to the "help signal" sent by the kidneys, start from the little things in life, actively prevent and control high uric acid, protect our kidneys, and keep the body healthy. Only in this way can we stay away from the troubles of kidney diseases and enjoy a good life.