Uric Acid: High uric acid in blood can 'reduce lifespan by 11 years'.
A recent study has shown that high levels of serum uric acid in the blood also known as high uric acid could reduce people's chance of surviving and also reduce their lifespans by up to 11 years.
The study, published in the journal BMJ Global Health, found evidence of substantial reductions in patient survival associated with extreme concentrations of serum uric acid (SUA) for both men and women.
Study lead author Leonard Browne from the University of Limerick in the US said that this is the first research to yield detailed survival statistics for SUA concentrations among Irish men and women in the health system.
Talking about the study, Browne said that their key question was to determine whether SUA, a routinely measured blood marker, could help us predict a patient's lifespan, all else being equal.
To answer this, the research team collected data from 26,525 patients.
For men, the message was quite clear. The median survival was reduced by an average of 9.5 years for men with low levels of SUA, and 11.7 years for men with elevated serum uric acid (SUA) levels.
Similarly, for women, it was found that the median survival was reduced by almost six years for those with greater SUA levels.
According to the researchers, there was good evidence that high levels of SUA are associated with a range of serious chronic medical conditions such as kidney failure, hypertension, heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.
These known associations might in part explain the high mortality observed in patients with elevated SUA levels in the study.
The study author said that when they looked at the cause of death for these patients, they found on one hand that men and women with very high SUA levels died from cardiovascular causes.
"We also found that very low levels of serum uric acid (SUA) were also associated with a higher risk of death primarily in men. This would, of course, suggest that very low levels of serum uric acid (SUA) are also detrimental to survival," he added.
The presence of high uric acid in the bloodstream can cause gout. To prevent this condition, it is extremely important to watch your daily eating habits. A healthy diet and proper medication could help you maintain uric acid at normal levels.
Red meat has the highest amount of animal protein, but these proteins are also high in purines. Since the buildup of purines in the blood can lead to an elevated level of uric acid in the blood, which in turn may result in gout. It is all time recommended to avoid red meat such as pork, mutton, and beef to keep the purine level in the body under control.
Purines are commonly known as compounds that one can get naturally by consuming foods. As the body breaks down purines, it produces uric acid. The process of metabolizing purine-rich foods may lead to gout by causing the body to produce too much uric acid.
High intake of sugary foods and fructose can harm the uric acid levels in your body. One of the other reasons linked to the non-intake of sugary items for the uric acid patients is because sugar and sweets are higher in calories and linked to obesity, which can trigger the risk factor for gout.
One who is suffering from high uric acid must avoid alcohol at all costs. Alcohol directly disrupts the removal of uric acid from the body thus the level of uric acid keeps rising and it reaches a level where it starts affecting the body. High levels of purine in alcoholic beverages lead to this disruption which leads to the formation of gout. Usually, purines would break down into uric acid and get flushed out of the body through urine. However, this process is interrupted when uric acid levels get too high. Crystals form around the joints, and gout develops.
Adding foods that are rich in dietary fiber helps in lowering uric acid levels in the blood. They absorb the uric acid from the bloodstream and helps in eliminating excess uric acid from your body through urine. If you have been diagnosed with high uric acid, increase the consumption of dietary soluble fibers such as apples, broccoli, berries, celery, carrots, and oranges.
Apple cider vinegar is known for its weight loss values but the intake of apple cider vinegar is also beneficial for people suffering from high uric acid. A person suffering from uric acid can add 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to 1 glass of lukewarm water and have it before the meal. Drinking apple cider vinegar regularly helps in treating the high uric acid conditions.
Fresh vegetables have their own way of helping the body to stay disease-free. The nutrients present in fresh vegetables like carrot and beetroot or celery sticks are good for the body in several ways. Drinking carrot juice and beetroot juice with some added cucumber juice every day can be effective in treating high uric acid in the blood.
Vitamin C is not only effective for our skin texture for also helps our body to fight several diseases by strengthening the immunity system. Including fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C is another way to maintain uric acid levels. These foods usually break down the uric acid and flush it out of the body through urine. One who is suffering from high uric acid must include foods such as kiwi, amla, guava, kiwi, oranges, lemon, tomato, and other green leafy vegetables in their daily diet.
Another effective way to treat high uric acid levels in the blood is by adding low-fat dairy products to your diet. Low-fat milk and curd can prevent a high uric acid level. One can also try almond or nut milk and tofu to swap the regular dairy products.
Diet, exercise, and other healthy lifestyle changes can keep the level of uric acid in the body under control and improve gout and other illnesses caused by it. However, medicinal treatment and doctors' suggestions are equally important, and the right combination of diet, exercise, and medications can help keep these diseases at bay.
