Lifting weights every day can cause gout, a disease that gym goers are more likely to get

A few days ago, we received a call for help from a guy who loves fitness. He goes to the gym four times a week and is generally healthy. But in the past month, every time he finishes lifting weights, his big toes start to ache. After enduring it for a few days, the pain got worse. His toes became so swollen that it affected his walking. He was very confused, so he came to us for consultation.

First of all, this is an obvious symptom of gout for this fitness guy.

Secondly, fitness can indeed induce gout.

I can feel the shock of the reply the young man received. As fitness has become a trend, more and more people are going to the gym. It is necessary to talk about this "side effect" of fitness.

Fitness induces gout, mainly due to the combined effects of these four aspects:

(1) If you sweat a lot during strenuous exercise and do not replenish water in time, it may lead to reduced renal blood flow, reduced excretion of uric acid and creatine, and increased uric acid concentration in the blood.

(2) When the human body performs anaerobic exercise, the adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in the body will accelerate its splitting, breaking down into phosphate, ribosomes and adenine. Adenine is finally metabolized by the liver to produce uric acid.

(3) During strenuous exercise, excessive muscle and joint movement causes local hypoxia, leading to glycolysis and lactic acid accumulation. Lactic acid and uric acid are both acidic substances and will compete for excretion in urine, thus affecting uric acid excretion.

(4) Excessive accumulation of lactic acid creates an acidic environment in the body, which can cause uric acid to accumulate in joints and trigger gout attacks.

So in layman's terms, lifting weights will produce uric acid on the one hand, and on the other hand, it will block the excretion of uric acid and cause it to accumulate in the joints. With these two factors working together, uric acid levels will rise, and gout will come...

On the other hand, incorrect dietary pursuit during fitness is also one of the reasons.

(1) When fitness people supplement protein, a considerable number of them will consume a large amount of meat, especially beef. Every 100g of beef contains 75-150 mg of purine, which is a food with a high purine content. Purine is oxidized into uric acid in the human body. Excessive uric acid levels can induce gout.

(2) Too little carbohydrate intake. Eating only a small amount of staple food can indeed achieve the goal of rapid weight loss. However, without the participation of carbohydrates, the fat in the human body cannot be completely burned. During this process, a substance called ketone bodies will be produced. Like lactic acid, ketone bodies will also compete with uric acid for excretion, thereby causing an increase in uric acid and inducing gout.

Therefore, when exercising, in order to reduce the possibility of gout, on the one hand, the diet should not be too extreme and ensure the intake of carbohydrates. On the other hand, proper attention should be paid to the ratio of aerobic and anaerobic exercise.

However, what should people like this fitness guy do if he already has gout?

How to deal with acute attacks

During the acute attack of gout, you should try to reduce activity, rest in bed, elevate the affected limb, apply local ice to reduce the temperature and relieve redness, swelling and pain. In addition, topical Voltaren emulsion can also help relieve local pain.

At the same time, drug treatment should be carried out. Seek medical help within 24 hours as much as possible and treat the symptoms. There are three types of drugs available: non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (anti-inflammatory), colchicine (anti-inflammatory and analgesic) and glucocorticoids (pain relief). Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and colchicine are first-line drugs, and glucocorticoids are second-line drugs. Follow the doctor's advice and take it on time.

Daily management of gout patients

There are currently few drug treatments for gout, and diet control remains the most common treatment method.

Many patients have a misunderstanding that they can stop treating gout if they feel that it is "cured". When gout is relieved, it actually means that the acute attack period has passed, the acute inflammation is under control, and the gout pain is gone. This does not mean that the blood uric acid level has been controlled to meet the standard. If left untreated, it is very likely to cause gout to recur.

● Reduce intake of high-purine foods

Mainly includes beef, mutton, animal offal (liver, kidney, spleen, brain), seafood, broth and gravy.

● Limit alcohol consumption

Alcohol turns into acetic acid in the body, which inhibits the excretion of uric acid in the kidneys. In terms of the risk of causing gout, beer and aged rice wine > spirits > dry red wine.

● Remember to drink plenty of water

Gout patients should drink enough water every day, at least 2500 ml, and it is recommended to drink 200 ml each time. The main purpose is to promote urination and help excrete uric acid from the body.

● Eat more alkaline foods

Studies have found that uric acid is more likely to crystallize in an acidic environment, and more easily dissolved in an alkaline environment. Common alkaline foods in life include kelp, cabbage, cucumber, eggplant, banana, etc.

For gout patients, standardized full-course treatment is very important and requires long-term management. Not only do they need to pay attention to many points in daily life, but it is also a test of the patient's self-control. Some patients can persist for two days after the doctor's advice, and they don't take it seriously after taking the medicine and the pain is gone... From this perspective, gout is the same as chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and coronary heart disease. After the disease, control and treatment will become an important part of life. Hospital doctors cannot pay real-time attention to the patient's home treatment situation, and patients have a lot of questions to consult doctors. It is too troublesome to see a doctor once... Fortunately, relying on scientific and technological progress and the development of Internet medical technology, there are already online family doctors who can do this.

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Many gout patients do not take it seriously in the early stage of the disease, thinking that it is a minor problem that can be cured by enduring it, and they also think that it is troublesome to register at the hospital. Little do they know that untimely treatment of gout and incorrect treatment methods will further worsen the condition. It can be said that many gout patients are delayed... The same is true for other diseases. If effective intervention can be carried out in the early stage and effective measures can be taken in time, patients can suffer less and waste less money and energy.

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