Sweet drinks and alcohol can trigger recurrent gout attacks, so it’s best not to drink them! How should people with gout drink water?

Gout attacks are worse than death

Known as the "immortal cancer"

Although I won't die from gout

But the pain is worse than death

Gout used to be a disease with a high incidence in Western countries, but now it is also common in my country. The name gout comes from the fact that when this disease strikes, even a gust of wind can make people unbearable, so it is called "gout".

This disease cannot be completely cured, we can only avoid gout attacks as much as possible. Some people only experience one attack in life, while others will have repeated attacks.

There are 3 types of "water" that, if drunk frequently, can often lead to recurrent attacks of gout.

1. Sugary drinks:

Although gout patients have always been advised to drink more fluids and water, sweet drinks are an exception.

Studies have shown that:[1]

The intake of sugary drinks is associated with the risk of gout, and the intake of large amounts of fructose will increase blood uric acid levels. Even young people with gout who have the habit of drinking sugary drinks are more likely to have repeated attacks of gout, a shorter course of disease, high blood pressure, and a higher incidence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and diabetes. Sweet drinks generally contain a lot of fructose, which can promote the formation of endogenous uric acid, thereby increasing the risk of gout.

In addition to sweet drinks, fruit juice is also a beverage with a high fructose content. It also has the effect of inducing satiety, so if you drink a lot of it, you will consume a high fructose content.

You don’t have to worry too much about this problem when eating fruits. They give you a strong sense of fullness and you can’t eat too many fruits and vegetables at one time.

Take oranges for example. Eating two whole oranges at a time might make you feel full, but if it is orange juice, you probably need to drink the amount of four or five oranges.

Beer is closely related to gout. The purine content of beer is 5-10g/100ml[2]. Although this may not seem high, it contains a high level of guanylate, which will produce a large amount of purine when metabolized in the body, leading to an increase in blood uric acid concentration.

A study on the relationship between drinking and gout also showed:

Beer has a more significant effect on increasing the risk of gout attacks, while moderate consumption of red wine does not increase the risk of gout attacks. [2] If you must drink beer under special circumstances, the total alcohol intake should not exceed 2 units of alcohol per day for men and 1 unit of alcohol per day for women (1 unit of alcohol is approximately 14g of pure alcohol). [3]

1 unit of alcohol is equivalent to:

145mL 12% red wine

497mL of 3.5% beer

43mL of 40% distilled spirits.

The above three types of "water" are not suitable for people with gout, and the following two are the most suitable.

1. Drink plenty of water: It is recommended to drink more than 2000 ml per day. If you have kidney stones, it is best to drink 2500~3000 ml.

Drinking enough water can promote the dissolution and excretion of uric acid. Ordinary boiled water and light tea are both fine.

1. Soda water: 250ml boiled water + 2-4 bicarbonate tablets + a little lemon juice

Soda water can alkalize urine and promote uric acid excretion. However, the soda water bought in the supermarket is not very effective!

To summarize:

Although gout is a lifelong disease, you can avoid attacks by paying attention to your eating habits.

Drink less or no sugary drinks and juices, and limit alcohol consumption. Drink more water or light tea, or make your own soda water in moderation.

These are important measures to stay away from gout attacks!

References:

[1]. Li Hui, Su Yue, Mao Cuixiu, Li Mingzhen, Sun Lirong. Study on the effect of sugary soft drinks in young patients with gout[J]. Chinese General Practice, 2016(19):2174-2178.

[2]. Shen Ning. Meta-analysis of the correlation between alcohol consumption and the risk of gout attacks[D]. 2016.

[3]. WS/T 560-2017, Health Industry Standard of the People’s Republic of China. Dietary Guidelines for Patients with Hyperuricemia and Gout