3 Foods People Quit to Lower Uric Acid Levels: A Nurse's Field Notes
"I was told my uric acid levels are high, but I don't know what to stop eating."
Even if you are given a list of foods containing purines, it is not realistic to stop eating all of them. The important thing is to know "what is affecting your uric acid levels the most" and set priorities.
There are things that people who successfully improved their uric acid levels in the field had in common. It is not uncommon for the cause to be something unexpected rather than foods high in purines.
Today, I will share the foods that people who lowered their uric acid levels actually quit, and the reasons why.
Before that: Organizing how uric acid levels rise
Uric acid is created when a substance called purine is metabolized in the body. Purines come from both the food we eat and are produced within the body, with dietary sources accounting for only about 20-30% of the total.
Main causes of rising uric acid levels:
・Excessive intake of purines (dietary)
・Reduced excretion of uric acid (decreased kidney function, dehydration)
・Increased production of uric acid (excessive intake of fructose, alcohol) Actually, "excessive intake of fructose" and "alcohol" cause uric acid levels to rise as much as, or even more than, purines. If you don't know this and only avoid liver or fish roe, your levels may not go down.
Food to quit #1: Soft drinks and fruit juices
Many people who improved their uric acid levels first quit "sweet drinks."
Reason: Fructose directly increases the production of uric acid
Unlike glucose, fructose consumes ATP during the process of being metabolized in the liver, resulting in the mass production of purines (precursors to uric acid). It is found in large amounts in cola, sports drinks, 100% fruit juices, and commercial vegetable juices.
Field example:
A man in his 40s. He was drinking 500ml of cola every day. Just by quitting that and switching to water and barley tea, his uric acid levels improved from 8.2 to 7.1 mg/dL in his checkup 3 months later. He hardly changed any other part of his diet.
Changes after quitting:
・Uric acid levels often drop by about 0.5 to 1.5 mg/dL ・Often has a positive effect on neutral fat and body weight
Food to quit #2: Daily alcohol (especially beer and sake)
Almost everyone with high uric acid levels has one thing in common: "daily drinking."
Reason: Alcohol causes double damage by increasing uric acid production and hindering excretion
Alcohol increases purine production in the process of being broken down into acetaldehyde in the body. Furthermore, the diuretic effect of alcohol leads to dehydration, which reduces uric acid excretion and raises blood concentration.
Beer, in particular, contains a lot of purines itself, so it raises uric acid levels twice over. "Purine-free beer" can reduce purines, but the effect of the alcohol remains the same.
Field example:
A man in his 50s. He was drinking 2-3 beers every night. Just by creating 3 alcohol-free days a week, his uric acid levels improved from 8.9 to 7.8 mg/dL (in 3 months). You don't have to quit completely; just stopping "drinking every day" makes a difference.
Changes after quitting:
・Uric acid levels often drop by about 1 to 2 mg/dL ・Secondary benefits include improved sleep quality and easier weight loss
Food to quit #3: Late-night meals and overeating
It may come as a surprise, but "late-night meals and overeating" have a major impact on uric acid levels.
Reason: Overeating → visceral fat accumulation → insulin resistance → decreased uric acid excretion
When visceral fat increases, insulin becomes less effective (insulin resistance). This insulin resistance hinders uric acid excretion in the kidneys and raises blood uric acid levels.
Just by stopping late-night meals and binge eating, and finishing dinner before 8:00 PM, you can reduce visceral fat, which leads to improved uric acid levels.
Field example:
A man in his 40s. He changed his lifestyle of eating after returning home late at night, moved his dinner time forward to 7:00-8:00 PM, and ate until he was 80% full. He lost 3kg and his uric acid levels improved from 7.6 to 6.8 mg/dL.
Things to add to lower uric acid levels
Along with quitting things, being conscious of the following will speed up improvement.
・Drink at least 2L of water a day (to excrete uric acid in urine)
・Milk and yogurt (dairy products are one of the few foods that promote uric acid excretion)
・Vitamin C (helps with uric acid excretion) → broccoli, paprika, kiwi ・Alkaline foods (vegetables, seaweed, mushrooms) → keeping urine alkaline makes uric acid easier to dissolve
Summary
The 3 things you should quit first to lower uric acid levels:
① Soft drinks and fruit juices (fructose directly increases uric acid)
② Daily alcohol (create at least 3 alcohol-free days a week)
③ Late-night meals and overeating (visceral fat → decreased uric acid excretion)
Before worrying about foods containing purines (liver, fish roe), many people see their numbers change just by changing these three things.
If you are concerned about your uric acid levels, please start by changing your drinks.
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