Is Gout Prevention Possible?

Is Gout Prevention Possible?
You can't always control whether you get gout, but you can make diet and lifestyle changes to lessen your risk. Start taking gout prevention steps today. What can you do for gout prevention? "There are a number of risk factors for gout, some of them modifiable, some of them less modifiable," says Daniel Solomon, MD, MPH, associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and physician in the rheumatology, immunology, and allergy department at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston.

Gout develops in people who have high levels of uric acid, produced when the body breaks down substances called purines, which are found in many foods, particularly meat and seafood. Excess uric acid can form sharp, needle-like crystals in the joints, leading to pain and swelling.

While some people will develop gout no matter what they do, there are some lifestyle and diet factors that can cause high uric acid levels. Researchers have identified a number of gout prevention strategies to help reduce your risk of developing gout or, if you already have gout, lower your chances of having a severe gout attack in the future.

Gout Prevention: Know Your Risk Factors

When it comes to gout prevention, scientists still don't know how much control people have over their risk of developing gout. "Gout is related to genes, environmental [influences], and gender," says Dr. Solomon. There seems to be a genetic component since gout sometimes runs in families. Also, men are at higher risk of developing gout than women. And the risk of gout increases with age.

But researchers have identified a number of gout risk factors that you can work to control:

Purine-rich diet
Excess weight
Excessive alcohol consumption
High cholesterol
Diabetes
High blood pressure
Certain medications, including some diuretics, niacin (a B vitamin), low-dose aspirin, cyclosporine, and several cancer drugs
There's more content below this advertisement. Jump to the content.
Gout Prevention Strategies

If you are looking for ways to reduce your risk of developing gout, try the following:

Limit purines in your diet. Hyon Choi, MD, DrPH, clinical associate professor of medicine in the rheumatology section at Boston University School of Medicine, says reducing the amount of purine-rich foods in your diet can lower your chances of developing gout. Eat less salmon, herring, sardines, organ meats, mushrooms, and asparagus.Reduce the red meat and seafood in your diet. In his research on gout risk factors, Dr. Choi and his colleagues found that people who had more red meat and seafood in their diet were at higher risk of developing gout.Eat more dairy. Choi also looked into how dairy products affected patients’ gout risk. "Dairy products — particularly low-fat dairy products like skim milk or yogurt — reduced the risk of gout," says Choi. For gout prevention, your daily diet should include the equivalent of two or more cups of milk.Watch what you drink. "Coffee, including decaffeinated coffee, was associated with a lower risk of gout," Choi says. On the other hand, people who drink more alcoholic beverages, especially beer, are more likely to develop gout. Choi says that drinks sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup are also associated with an increased risk of gout.Take your vitamin C. "Vitamin C tablets — 500 milligrams per day — decrease the risk of gout," Choi says. That extra vitamin C will cause you to excrete uric acid through your urine.Maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight is a risk factor for the development of gout, so aim to maintain a healthy weight.Control medical problems. Since high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and other health problems are associated with an increased risk of gout, follow your doctor's instructions to keep these conditions under control.Consider switching medications. If you are taking a medication associated with increased gout risk, ask your doctor if switching to another drug is an option for you. If you are concerned about your gout risk, talk with your doctor. The earlier you start treatment, the sooner your pain will be under control.

By Krisha McCoy, MS
Medically reviewed by Lindsey Marcellin, MD, MPH