Gout is a type of arthritis that occurs when excess uric acid – a natural compound in the body – builds up in the blood. In a 20-year study of about 47,000 men, those who consumed over 1,500 mg of vitamin C per day from all sources were nearly half as likely to have gout as were men who got less than 250 mg per day.
In gout, excess uric acid forms sharp, needle-like crystalline deposits in the joints, causing inflammation and pain. Doctors believe vitamin C may help the kidneys excrete excess uric acid and may keep excess uric acid from forming.
Source: Archives of Internal Medicine
Very interesting stuff, I had no idea that gout was an arthritis. Great info again! thanks Dr. Bob
ReplyDeleteHi Sue,
ReplyDeleteI have a patient that is managing his gout with vitamin c. This disease can be very painful.
Thanks for the visit,
Dr. Bob Moulas
Dr. Bob, I have a gap in my vitamin c-gout relationship knowledge. If the kidneys help excrete excess uric acid in the body, what's the next part of the story?
ReplyDeletePlease confirm if my guess is correct since I'm also writing an entry for my Gout Chronicles blog. The more uric acid can be excreted through the urine, the lower the uric acid level in the blood should be. This should prevent more gout crystals from forming. Correct?
But what happens to the existing gout crystals? Do they get liquefied if the blood uric acid level decreases? Or is vitamin c totally irrelevant to the liquification process?
Buzz me!