What causes uric acid?

Most of the time, a high uric acid level occurs when your kidneys don’t eliminate uric acid efficiently. Things that may cause this slow-down in the removal of uric acid include rich foods, being overweight, having diabetes, taking certain diuretics (sometimes called water pills) and drinking too much alcohol.

Is uric acid is curable?

The encouraging news is that almost all gout cases are treatable. In fact, gout is one of the few treatable and preventable forms of arthritis, an umbrella term for dozens of conditions that cause inflammation in the joints.

What drugs increase uric acid?

Medication Interactions. Certain medications can increase or decrease uric acid levels in your body. Medications that may increase these levels include ascorbic acid (Vitamin C), alcohol, caffeine, aspirin, Cisplatin , diuretics, diazoxide, epinephrine , levodopa , ethambutol, methyldopa , niacin , theophylline and phenothiazines.

What foods are high in uric acid?

Additional Considerations. Certain foods contain a high concentration of purine, and this can contribute to uric acid levels. These include organ meat such as kidney and liver, red meat, poultry, fish, sardines, anchovies, mushrooms, yeast and beer.

What are the problems with uric acid?

High levels of uric acid in your body can cause several problems. It leads to the formation of solid crystals within the joints which causes a painful condition called gout. It may also cause kidney stones and lead to kidney failure in severe cases.

What are the side effects of high uric acid?

Of all the side effects one can develop from having too much uric acid in the system, gout is by far the most common and one of the most painful. The more animal-based proteins a person eats, the more uric acid is produced through the breakdown of purines, a byproduct of protein digestion, explains the University of Maryland Medical Center.