Gout (Holistic)

About This Condition

The ache in your toe may be enough to knock you off your feet. Gout, a form of arthritis, often strikes without warning. According to research or other evidence, the following self-care steps may be helpful.
  • Check out cherries

    Soothe symptoms and prevent new attacks by eating a half a pound of cherries or drinking an equivalent amount of cherry juice per day

  • Rest for relief

    During acute attacks, rest the affected part to reduce pain and inflammation

  • Pass up high-purine foods

    To keep uric acid levels low, eat fewer purine-containing foods, such as liver, shrimp, and dried beans and pulses

  • Put a limit on alcohol

    To help prevent new attacks, avoid drinking more than one alcoholic beverage a day

About

About This Condition

Gout is a form of arthritis that occurs when crystals of uric acid accumulate in a joint, leading to the sudden development of pain and inflammation.

People with gout either overproduce uric acid or are less efficient than other people at eliminating it. The joint of the big toe is the most common site to accumulate uric acid crystals, although other joints may be affected.

Symptoms

The pain of gout can arise suddenly and is often very intense. The affected joint is usually red, swollen, and very tender to the touch. A low-grade fever may also be present.

Healthy Lifestyle Tips

People who are overweight or have high blood pressure are at greater risk of developing gout.1 However, weight loss should not be rapid because restriction of calories can increase uric acid levels temporarily, which may aggravate the condition.

Eating Right

The right diet is the key to managing many diseases and to improving general quality of life. For this condition, scientific research has found benefit in the following healthy eating tips.

RecommendationWhy
Check out cherries
Soothe symptoms and prevent new attacks by eating a half a pound of cherries or drinking an equivalent amount of cherry juice per day.

According to a 1950 study of 12 people with gout, eating one-half pound of cherries or drinking an equivalent amount of cherry juice prevented attacks of gout. Black, sweet yellow, and red sour cherries were all effective. Since that study, there have been many anecdotal reports of cherry juice as an effective treatment for the pain and inflammation of gout. The active ingredient in cherry juice remains unknown, but a study in healthy volunteers found that eating about half a pound of cherries per day for four weeks decreased levels of C-reactive protein (a measure of inflammation).

Watch what you drink
To help prevent new attacks, avoid drinking more than one alcoholic beverage a day.

Avoiding alcohol, particularly beer, or limiting alcohol intake to one drink per day or less may reduce the number of attacks of gout.Refined sugars, including sucrose (white table sugar) and fructose (the sugar found in fruit juice), should also be restricted, because they have been reported to raise uric acid levels.[REF] In addition, consumption of large amounts of fructose or sugar-sweetened soft drinks was associated with an increased risk of gout in one study.

Pass up high-purine foods
To keep uric acid levels low, eat fewer purine-containing foods, such as liver, shrimp, and dried beans and pulses

Foods that are high in compounds called purines raise uric acid levels in the body and increase the risk of gout. Restricting purine intake can reduce the risk of an attack in people susceptible to gout. Foods high in purines include anchovies, bouillon, brains, broth, consommé, dried legumes, goose, gravy, heart, herring, kidneys, liver, mackerel, meat extracts, mincemeat, mussels, partridge, fish roe, sardines, scallops, shrimp, sweetbreads, baker’s yeast, brewer’s yeast, and yeast extracts (e.g., Marmite, Vegemite).

Supplements

What Are Star Ratings?
SupplementWhy
2 Stars
Vitamin C
0.5 to 8 grams daily
Supplementing with vitamin C might reduce the risk of gout attacks, as it appears to help reduce uric acid levels.

In one small study, people who took 4 grams of vitamin C (but not lower amounts) had an increase in urinary excretion of uric acid within a few hours, and those who took 8 grams of vitamin C per day for several days had a reduction in serum uric acid levels. Thus, supplemental vitamin C could, in theory, reduce the risk of gout attacks. However, the authors of this study warned that taking large amounts of vitamin C could also trigger an acute attack of gout by abruptly changing uric acid levels in the body. Another study showed that taking lower amounts of vitamin C (500 mg per day) for two months significantly reduced blood levels of uric acid, especially in people whose initial uric acid levels were elevated. For people with a history of gout attacks, it seems reasonable to begin vitamin C supplementation at 500 mg per day, and to increase the amount gradually if uric acid levels do not decrease.

1 Star
Quercetin
Refer to label instructions
In test tube studies, quercetin, a flavonoid, has inhibited an enzyme involved in the development of gout.

In test tube studies, quercetin, a flavonoid, has inhibited an enzyme involved in the production of uric acid in the body. In a double-blind trial, supplementation with 500 mg of quercetin once a day for 4 weeks significantly decreased blood levels of uric acid by an average of 8% in men with uric acid levels in the high-normal range. Decreasing uric acid levels may help prevent gout attacks.

References

1. Loenen H, Eshuis H, Lowik M, et al. Serum uric acid correlates in elderly men and women with special reference to body composition and dietary intake (Dutch Nutrition Surveillance System). J Clin Epidemiol 1990;43:1297-303.

This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. Learn how we develop our content.