What Is Uric Acid?

Uric acid is a chemical produced during the digestion of foods containing a substance known as purine. In other words, it is a natural waste product that is usually present in the body after the digestion of purine-rich foods. This purine substance is processed by the kidneys and excreted in the urine. Purine is a chemical in foods like anchovies, dried beans, mushrooms, sardines, spinach, some kinds of meats, and beer.

The high uric acid level in the blood could result from the body’s inability to excrete uric acid or the excessive consumption of foods that contain purine. When the level of uric acid in the body becomes higher than normal, an individual may suffer from a condition known as hyperuricemia, which increases the acidity of your blood and your urine and exposes you to a health condition known as gout. Gout is characterized by severe pains in the joint that can ruin and paralyze your daily activities.

It is also associated with arthritis, a severe joint condition. According to research, the normal amount of uric acid for males is less than 7 milliliters per deciliter of blood and less than 6 milliliters per deciliter of blood for females. Studies have shown that more males may experience higher amounts of uric acid in their blood than females.

What Does Research Reveal About Uric Acid?

According to research, about 20% of people live with high blood uric acid levels worldwide, and out of this 20%, about two-thirds of them do not know that they have it because they do not experience symptoms, and this could expose them to severe health conditions like gout, kidney stones, and hyperuricemia. This is why it is important to be aware of uric acid and get yourself properly checked at the hospital for early detection of excess uric acid in your blood. One of the ways through which excess uric acid in the blood is detected is through blood tests.

The best way to prevent or lower high amounts of purine or uric acid in the blood is by limiting the consumption of purine-rich foods. While doing this, consuming a lot of water can also help the body get rid of high amounts of uric acid by flushing the acid out of the body.

Risk Factors Of High Uric Acid In The Blood

Different factors are responsible for why the body retains excess uric acid. The chances of high uric acid in the blood are higher in some people as a result of some factors, and some of these factors include;

• Overweight and obesity
• Stress
• Diet
• Genetics
• Certain health conditions like diabetes, hypothyroidism, psoriasis, kidney diseases, and chemotherapy.

Symptoms of Excess Uric Acid In The Blood

• Blood in urine
• Painful urination
• Severe pain in the joint and muscle
• Frequent urinary tract infections
• Joint swelling and inflammation
• Joint and muscle stiffness

How To Lower Uric Acid Naturally

Limit Consumption of Purine-Rich Foods

As stated above, purine is a chemical present in some foods, such that uric acids form in the blood after they are digested. Since these foods are responsible for increasing the uric acid content in the blood, it is best to avoid them if trying to prevent or treat hyperuricemia.

Naturally, the body gets rid of this chemical and acid, but when they begin to accumulate in the blood, it could result from excess consumption of purine-rich foods. Thus, putting an end to eating such foods for a short while can help you regulate or lower the excess amount of uric acid in your blood. Some of these foods include;

• Scallops
• Pork
• Veal
• Mushrooms
• Organ meat
• Turkey
• Mutton
• Organ meats
• Cauliflower

Consume Antioxidant Rich

• Antioxidant-rich foods can lower the production of uric acid. This is because they are packed with properties that can regulate the body’s acid levels. In addition, some of these foods are naturally effective in reducing the production of uric acid. They also contribute to the process that leads to the flushing of excess uric acid out of the body. All of these are courtesy of their natural properties. Apart from regulating the production of uric acid, they also contain little or no amounts of uric acid at all. Thus, they are safe to consume for the prevention and treatment of hyperuricemia, gout, arthritis, and kidney stones. Some of these foods include;
• Green tea
• Cherries
• Coffee
• Citrus fruits
• Apples
• Bananas

You can also make juices out of the fruits (bananas, apples, and citrus fruits) and make the beverages(green tea and coffee) your daily beverage.

Drink Plenty Water

Water is the healthiest and ideal beverage in the world. It is an effective remedy for preventing and treating several health conditions and maintaining great health. One of the benefits water adds to the body is the flushing out of toxins from the body. In this case of uric acid, drinking enough water will help dilute and flush out the concentrated amount of urine in the blood.

With this, it has preserved your kidneys by helping them get rid of excess toxins from the body. Drinking the suggested 8 glasses of water or even more per day can help you prevent severe health conditions that may arise from the excess amounts of uric acid in your blood.

Consume Vitamin C

According to research, vitamin C is an effective remedy for lowering high amounts of uric acid in the blood. This is why vitamin C-rich foods are recommended daily for people with high uric acid levels in their blood. Studies showed that people whose high uric acid level was detected early enough and was placed on vitamin C supplements and a vitamin C-rich diet for 2 months experienced a significantly lower level of uric acid in their blood.

Although, it is best to visit your doctor first before using vitamin C supplements or foods to treat uric acid. This is because most high uric acid cases may lead to kidney stones, and vitamin C can increase the production of kidney stones. Thus, you should see a doctor to ensure that your high uric acid level has not gotten to a point where you might have kidney stones, as using vitamin C at this point may worsen your kidney stones.

Avoid Alcohol

Consuming excess amounts of alcohol can increase your chances of developing chronic health conditions. It can also damage your essential organs and leave you bedridden. You do not want this for yourself. A good example of this is uric acid. Alcohol deposit excessive amounts of uric acid in the blood and leaves your kidneys and liver with the herculean task of getting rid of the huge amount of uric acid and other toxins that alcohol has deposited into your body.

With this, the kidneys and liver may fail in no time because they will be worn out from excess stress and will be unable to eliminate toxins from the body. This, on the one hand, will leave you with bad kidneys and liver, while on the other hand, you will have gout and hyperuricemia. Sounds painful, right? More reasons you should stay away from alcohol.

Maintain a Healthy Weight

Staying fit keeps you healthy and strong. Overweight and obesity have been discovered to be major factors leading to the onset of severe health conditions like diabetes. Apart from diabetes, bad weight can also increase your chance of suffering from gout. Thus, to prevent this, you must maintain a healthy body weight.

Also, one effective way to lower high amounts of uric acid in the blood is by engaging in physical exercises and following a healthy diet to maintain a healthy weight.

What is more? Apart from beating down your chances of suffering from gout, it will also help you maintain great overall health.

Conclusion

Uric acid can be dangerous to health when it accumulates to a high level in the blood. This is why you should visit a hospital for proper examinations and tests if you notice any symptoms similar to excess uric acid. This will help you detect it early and treat it faster and more effectively. Following the above-mentioned tips can help you flush out excess uric acid from your blood.