Gout comes on when your body either makes too much or excretes (in your urine) too little uric acid -- a byproduct of purine (a chemical that's in almost all human tissues and some foods). It's those uric acid molecules that cause trouble when they get together and form sharp, pointy crystals that lodge in joints and tissue.
Gout Causes & Risks
Gout is caused when your body excretes too much uric acid. Many people with gout have a family history of the condition. While men are more likely to get the condition, postmenopausal women are at increased risk. Additionally, consuming excessive alcohol and certain foods high in purines, like organ meats and seafood, can increase your risk for gout.
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If gout is left untreated, tophi (masses of solid uric acid) begin to form in the affected areas. From the initial attack, it can take three to 42 years for a visible tophus to appear. The average is about 11.6 years. The rate of formation depends primarily on the concentration of uric acid. -
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Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center answeredEating foods rich in purines, such as anchovies, mushrooms, or asparagus, and drinking large amounts of alcohol can increase levels of uric acid in your blood, triggering an attack. A sudden injury to a joint, stress, illness, or surgery may also result in an attack. Some medications used to treat kidney stones can also provoke an episode. -
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Dr. Christopher P. Chiodo, MD , Orthopedic Surgery, answeredSee All 2 AnswersGout affects men more frequently than women, probably because men have higher uric acid levels than women. That changes at menopause, however, which explains why men tend to develop gout between ages 30 and 50, while women are more likely to develop it after age 50. -
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Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center answered
Medications used to treat hypertension called thiazide diuretics may cause increased levels of uric acid in the blood. Aspirin in large doses can also reduce the effectiveness of drugs used to treat gout. Talk to your doctor about any medications you are currently taking to avoid any complications.
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Women who drink fructose-rich beverages such as sugar-sweetened sodas and orange juice are at increased risk for gout, say researchers writing in the "Journal of the American Medical Association." Compared with women who consumed less than one serving of sugar-sweetened soda per month, those who consumed one serving per day were 1.74 times more likely to develop gout and those who consumed two or more servings per day had a 2.4 times higher risk.
In addition, compared with women who consumed less than a glass (6 ounces) of orange juice per month, those who consumed one serving per day were 1.41 times more likely to develop gout, and those who consumed two or more servings per day had a 2.4 times greater risk. The risk of gout in these women over 22 years was about 1%; drinking two or more servings of sugar-sweetened soda per day raised the risk to about 2.4%. -
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Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center answeredMany people with gout have a family history of the condition. Although gout is more common in men than women, post-menopausal women are more prone than younger women to developing this form of arthritis. The following factors may also increase your risk of developing gout:
- kidney disease, diabetes, certain types of cancer, high blood pressure, hypothyroidism
- alcohol consumption and diets rich in high-purine foods such as sardines, liver, organ meats, and asparagus
- obesity
- lead poisoning
- prescription drugs such as diuretics or antirejection drugs, or aspirin in large or regular doses
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Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center answered
Men have a higher risk of developing gout. Gout is also more prevalent in men age 40 and over and in women age 50 and over. In many cases, people who develop gout have a family history of the condition.
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Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center answered
Unfortunately, damage to your joints cannot be reversed. However, with treatment, any additional damage to the joints can be prevented. In some cases, surgery may be used to remove large deposits of tophi (uric crystal) from under the skin. If you believe you have symptoms of gout, talk to your doctor right away.
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Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center answeredSee All 2 Answers
Poor eating habits that lead to obesity often increase levels of uric acid in the blood. Higher levels of uric acid increase your risk of developing primary gout. Losing weight can help lower uric acid levels, reducing the frequency of attacks.