Newfound trigger of gout revealed: sugar-sweetened soft drinks

Soft and Sweet and Trouble

“I want to know how to relieve the pain from GOUT.”

That request comes from an HSI member named Jackie, and he’s in good company because gout is the topic of many e-mails we receive from members.

Of course, the first step in gout relief is the recognition and elimination of triggers. And to the list of common triggers (such as broccoli, asparagus, coffee, orange juice, and high protein foods), we can add one more, courtesy of a recent British Medical Journal (BMJ) study.

Soda popped

Researchers at the University of British Columbia recruited more than 46,000 men with no history of gout. Dietary intake for each subject was assessed with food frequency questionnaires, and researchers followed up on each subject for 12 years.

Results:

• 755 subjects were diagnosed with gout
• Frequent intake of sugar-sweetened soft drinks was significantly linked to gout risk
• Compared to subjects who said they drank less than one soft drink per month, those who drank five to six servings each week increased gout risk by nearly 30 percent
• Those who drank one soft drink per day increased gout risk by 45 percent
• Those who drank two or more soft drink servings daily increased gout risk by 85 percent
• Fructose intake from fruit juice and fructose-rich fruits (such as oranges and apples) was also linked to increased gout risk
• Diet soft drink intake was not associated with gout risk

A BMJ editorial that accompanies the study notes that previous laboratory evidence indicates that dietary fructose may prompt excess blood levels of uric acid – the enemy of every gout patient.

Getting rid of it

When the body produces or retains uric acid in excess, the acid forms sharp crystals in soft tissue that surrounds joints, prompting occasional pain that’s sometimes physically debilitating.

Excessive production of uric acid can be caused by obesity, excessive alcohol consumption, and hereditary factors. Hereditary may also play a role in the inhibition of uric acid elimination, as does kidney failure and a high intake of diuretic drugs or diuretic foods (such as organ meats).

So obviously, the first step in the management of gout pain begins with avoidance of foods and beverages that are known triggers.

Next come cherries. As most gout patients will tell you, eating cherries and drinking cherry juice helps relieve those sharp pains. The secret: Cherries help prompt uric acid excretion. Increased water intake may also help with elimination.

Other natural methods that may provide relief include:

• Celery seed extract
• Extract of juniper
• Chiropractic treatments
• Yoga

An HSI colleague of mine named Ramsey has coped with gout for several years. Ramsey tells me that when he was first diagnosed, he found a book titled “Getting Rid of Gout: A Guide to Management and Prevention” to be very helpful. Bryan Emerson is the author, and his book can be found on Amazon.com.

I can also recommend a book, titled “The Gout Relief Handbook,” which examines natural treatments and nutrients that help prevent recurring flare-ups. You can find more information at this link:http://www.isecureonline.com/Reports/680SGOUT/E6EAJ3GC

Sources:
“Soft Drinks, Fructose Consumption, and the risk of Gout in Men: Prospective Cohort Study” British Medical Journal, Vol. 336, No. 7639, 2/9/08, bmj.com
“Sugary Drinks, Fruit, and Increased Risk of Gout” British Medical Journal editorial, Vol. 336, No. 7639, 2/9/08, bmj.com