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What are the Causes of Gout

Max. D Gray
By Max. D Gray. Updated: January 16, 2017
What are the Causes of Gout

Gout is a very common condition for people who have very high levels of uric acid. It is a painful condition that causes severe joint problems. However, some people will find it difficult to identify these issues as symptoms of gout or to understand the link between this condition and food. That is why at OneHowto we will show you what the causes of gout are so that you understand how it affects the joints.

You may also be interested in: Are Tomatoes Bad For Gout?

What is gout?

Gout is a very common type of arthritis that causes substantial pain in the joints as well as inflammation, a burning sensation and stiffness in the affected areas. It often starts by affecting your big toe, but can also start in other joints such as the knee, ankle or elbow.

Certain habits and characteristics can make it more likely to develop gout, these include:

  • Having a diet high in purine-rich foods
  • Frequent alcohol consumption
  • Being overweight
  • Being a man
  • Having immediate family members who suffer from gout
  • Having an organ transplant
  • Over-exposure to lead
  • Taking laxatives or aspirin regularly
What are the Causes of Gout - What is gout?

What are the causes of gout?

Gout is caused by a build-up of uric acid in the blood, a substance which comes from the digestion of purine, which are found in various foods such as animal entrails, vegetables, meat and fatty fish. When we eat foods high in purine in moderation and as part of a healthy diet and lifestyle, the uric acid is filtered away by the kidneys through urine to prevent a build-up of uric acid. However, when we consume a high level of this substance, this process fails and it accumulates in our blood causing problems.

Uric acid accumulates in lumps at the joints, causing gout and all the problems that come as a result of this joint condition. Moreover, it can cause other kinds of issues such as kidney stones.

What are the Causes of Gout - What are the causes of gout?

Why uric acid accumulates

As we have explained above, a diet high in purine-rich foods it is the main cause behind the build-up of uric acid. But not only this, excessive alcohol intake will also affect our levels of uric acid. However, not everyone with high levels of uric acid will suffer from gout. This only happens when the uric acid forms lumps and accumulates at the joints.

If you suffer from this condition, we recommend reading the following articles in order to know how you can reduce your levels of uric acid and improve your quality of life:

This article is merely informative, oneHOWTO does not have the authority to prescribe any medical treatments or create a diagnosis. We invite you to visit your doctor if you have any type of condition or pain.

If you want to read similar articles to What are the Causes of Gout, we recommend you visit our Diseases & secondary effects category.

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