How To Eat When You Have Gout & Diabetes
Gout is a form of arthritis that is often characterized by severe and sudden pain. Most commonly, symptoms of gout are felt in the big toe but can also affect other joints. According to the Purine Research Society, gout is one of the oldest known metabolic diseases and is caused by an overproduction of uric acid. A study published in the "New Zealand Medical Journal" found that patients with type-2 diabetes have a greater chance of developing gout. Eating foods lower in uric acid may help to reduce the chances of another painful gout attack. Video of the Day Limit animal proteins in your diet. According to the Mayo Clinic, all animal products contain purines which can cause higher uric acid. Animal proteins with the most purines include organ meats, red meat and fatty fish. Add more vegetables, fruits and whole wheat grains to your diet. These foods provide vitamins and minerals and help to maintain a healthy balance in your body. Increase your water intake. Water can help to remove any uric acid buildup in your body. Drink at least eight glasses of water a day. Avoid drinking alcohol. Alcohol interferes with the uric acid removal in your body. Eat nonfat dairy products to reduce your chances of a gout flare-up. According to the Mayo Clinic, some research has linked lower fat dairy products to a lower risk of gout. Avoid sugar. If you have diabetes, limiting your sugar intake is important for your health. Staying away from sugar is also important if you have had gout in the past. Although it is not known if sugar has an effect on uric acids in your body, eating sugar leads to obesity which is a risk factor for gout. Continue reading >>
The Link Between Diabetes And Gout
If you have type 2 diabetes, your chances of getting gout are higher. And the same is true in reverse. Gout boosts your chance of diabetes. Gout is a kind of arthritis that causes sudden pain and swelling in your joints. It usually shows up first in the big toe, but it can occur in other joints too. The pain can be intense. Some things raise your risk for both diabetes and gout, but you can manage many of the causes of these conditions. What Causes Gout? Gout usually happens when uric acid builds up in the blood (a condition called hyperuricemia). This acid is a waste that your body makes when it breaks down purines, substances found in your body tissue and some foods. Normally, the acid dissolves in your blood, passes through your kidneys, and leaves when you pee. If your body makes extra uric acid, or if the kidneys can’t clear enough of it, the levels of the acid in your blood get too high. With time, the acid forms crystals that get stuck in your joints or soft tissue. That’s what causes the painful symptoms. A first attack of gout may last a week to 10 days. It’s estimated that almost 85% of people who have it once have another episode within 3 years. Gout often runs in families. So if a parent, brother, or sister has it, you might get it too. The Gout-Diabetes Link People with type 2 diabetes are more likely to have hyperuricemia, and people with gout and high uric acid are more likely to get diabetes. Not everyone with hyperuricemia gets gout, but your chances go up as uric acid levels rise. Type 2 diabetes happens when your body doesn’t use insulin well and sugar stays in the blood instead of moving into cells. This is called insulin resistance. Studies show this may play a role in the development of gout and hyperuricemia may make insulin resistance wor Continue reading >>
Gout And Diabetes – The Connection
Gout is a form of chronic arthritis that can lead to pain, swelling and ultimately joint destruction and kidney problems. Gout and diabetes have some of the same risk factors. Learn more about the connection between gout and diabetes and what you can do about it. Gout occurs when high levels of uric acid crystallize and are deposited around the joints and in soft tissue. This can lead to a type of inflammatory arthritis, causing pain, swelling and itchiness in areas such as the big toe, ankles, wrists, fingers, knees, heels and elbows. If gout is untreated, the uric acid crystals can become hardened lumps that can lead to compromised joints and kidney problems. Gout has been linked with diabetes for years. Diabetes and gout share a few common risk factors. Being overweight or obese can make people more prone to developing diabetes type 2 and/or gout. Other factors include insulin resistance, decreased circulation, elevated uric acid levels, a diet high in saturated fats and a lack of exercise. Gout occurs when too much uric acid is formed and the kidneys cannot process it. Risks for gout can include excessive alcohol use, genetic tendencies, illness or surgery, taking diuretics, joint injury and high blood fat levels as well as radiation, chemotherapy, certain medications, fad dieting, consuming excessive fructose (such as the type found in sweetened sodas) and eating a lot of shellfish, red meat and/or liver. A simple blood test can be done to determine your level of uric acid and whether you are prone to developing gout. People with elevated levels of uric acid are also more likely to develop diabetes and heart disease. To reduce the chance of developing gout, eat a well-balanced diet with limited animal protein. Minimize your intake of red meat, shellfish and organ m Continue reading >>
Ask Dr. Gourmet
What is the best diet for both diabetes and gout? I have a friend who lives with both diabetes and gout. He doesn't handle either of these conditions particularly well. He and his wife recently went to a small seminar and asked the dietitian there for some tips on handling diet when one does have both diabetes and gout. She was really unable to answer him! She didn't even refer him to some literature or advise him where to find good information. So, I was just wondering if you could offer some advice regarding this. I appreciate any information you can provide. Dr. Gourmet Says... The key to treating both conditions can be found in a healthier diet. For diabetics diet is the cornerstone of controlling blood sugar. The information about Mediterranean diet can help you to understand the foundations of the diet recommended by the American Diabetic Association. This is your friend's first step toward feeling better. You can find information on the Mediterranean diet here on this website. The nutrition section on the American Diabetes Association website will help reinforce these principles. Gout can be well controlled in many folks with change in diet and lifestyle. Excess animal proteins are what leads to issues with gout more than any single food. Here's our section on gout. Thanks for writing, Timothy S. Harlan, MD, FACP Dr. Gourmet Continue reading >>
Gout And Type 2 Diabetes Have A Mutual Inter-dependent Effect On Genetic Risk Factors And Higher Incidences
Objective. To explore the causal relationship between gout and Type 2 diabetes based on genetic evidence and national outpatient database. Methods. Twenty male gout patients with early-onset, gout family history, without a habit of alcohol consumption or obesity before the first attack of gout were selected from hospital in 2010; and 42 unrelated male Chinese subjects were selected from HapMap as controls for genome-wide analysis study (GWAS). The comorbid diseases with gout were revealed by applying the significant single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to MetaCore platform, and the comorbid relationship was analysed by standardized incidence ratio (SIR) from outpatient database. Results. A total of 334 SNPs were significantly related to gout in GWAS (P < 10−7), and Type 2 diabetes was the most significantly associated disease with gout as recognized by 36 gene symbols correspondent to the above significant SNPs. The analysis of national outpatient database showed that the overall incident Type 2 diabetes was 1.50 cases per 1000 person-months among gout patients, which was higher than the overall incident gout (1.06 cases) among Type 2 diabetes. The age-adjusted SIR of incident Type 2 diabetes among gout was 2.59 (95% CI 2.42, 2.78), whereas the age-adjusted SIR for incident gout among Type 2 diabetes was 1.61 (95% CI 1.48, 1.74). Conclusion. After excluding obesity and alcohol consumption behaviour, this study showed that patients with gout and Type 2 diabetes shared the common genetic factors most, and that there existed a mutual inter-dependent effect on higher incidences. Objective. To investigate the prevalence of eight common rheumatic diseases in a large Chinese population. Methods. A population-based epidemiological investigation of the prevalence of eight co Continue reading >>
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Uric Acid May Help Spot Diabetic Kidney Disease Early
FRIDAY, April 4 (HealthDay News) — Elevated levels of uric acid in the blood may be an early sign of diabetic kidney disease in people with type 1 diabetes, a new study suggests. Researchers at the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston noted that increased uric acid levels may appear before any significant change in urine albumin levels, the standard screening test for diabetic kidney disease. In the study, the researchers checked serum uric acid concentration and urine albumin levels in 675 patients with type 1 diabetes. The results showed that 311 patients had microalbuminuria (small amounts of the protein albumin in the urine), an early sign of diabetic kidney disease. The other 364 patients had normal urine albumin levels. While none of the patients had higher levels of albumin (albuminuria), one in five did have some impairment of kidney function. "Our research showed that loss of kidney function takes place even in the absence of albuminuria in patients with type 1 diabetes," study author Dr. Elizabeth T. Rosolowsky said in a prepared statement. But she and her colleagues found that serum uric acid level was consistently related to kidney function. The higher the levels of uric acid in the blood, the lower the kidney function. "The serum concentration of uric acid in these patients varied in a manner consistent with its having played a role in this early loss of kidney function," Rosolowsky said. The findings, published in the May issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, suggest that treatments to reduce uric acid may help slow the decline of kidney function in diabetes patients. "Thus we have the hope of having a means to thwart the loss of kidney function while function is still a relatively preserved stage," Rosolowsky said. She noted t Continue reading >>
High Uric Acids Levels Could Cause Metabolic Syndrome
It has been known for many years that gout, a painful, inflammatory condition that usually affects the toes and feet, is caused by an excess of uric acid in the bloodstream. What has more recently come to light, however, is uric acid’s involvement in the development of metabolic syndrome and the complications of diabetes. Gout has sometimes been viewed rather flippantly as a disease of fat old men who drink too much. But although alcohol and obesity can be contributory factors, many cases of gout are due to a genetic defect that leads to overproduction of uric acid (UA). And gout is certainly no joke. Apart from being excruciatingly painful, it comes with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, since high UA levels are linked with high blood pressure and blood fat abnormalities, which can lead to a heart attack or stroke. In addition, uric acid disrupts glucose metabolism in a way that can lead to metabolic syndrome and diabetes – and in diabetes patients it is linked with complications such as kidney and nerve disease, as well as an elevation in cardiovascular risks. And, just to come full circle, if you have diabetes, you are at much higher risk of suffering from gout. Uric acid is a normal waste product that is constantly being removed from the body by the kidneys and intestines. It has become apparent over the last decade or so that elevated levels of UA are associated with metabolic syndrome, a condition characterised by obesity, high blood pressure, blood sugar disturbances and high cholesterol. But until now it has not been clear whether high uric acid was a cause or a result of dysfunctional metabolism. In a study published in August this year, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, USA showed that uric acid is not just an Continue reading >>
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Hyperuricemia As A Potential Risk Factor For Type 2 Diabetes And Diabetic Nephropathy
1Division of Renal Diseases and Hypertension, University of Colorado, Denver, CO, USA. 2Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Children's Hospital, University of Colorado, Denver, CO, USA. Serum uric acid has recently received attention as a potential biomarker independently predicting the development of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and chronic kidney disease.1-3 Elevated serum uric acid has also been reported to predict development of nephropathy in type 1 diabetes.4-7 Less is known, however, about the role of serum uric acid in predicting nephropathy in type 2 diabetes. In this issue of the Brazilian Journal of Nephrology, Fouad et al.8 performed a case-control study in Egyptian adults with and without type 2 diabetes that were matched for age, sex and body mass index (BMI). The study included 986 participants; 250 non-diabetic controls, 352 with type 2 diabetes for less than 5-years and 384 with type 2 diabetes for more than 5-years. The participants of the three groups were similarly obese with mean BMI between 30 and 32 kg/m2. The most important observation was that serum uric acid showed a stepwise increase between groups, and overall 32% of subjects with type 2 diabetes demonstrated hyperuricemia (defined as serum uric acid > 7.0 mg/dl). Furthermore, the increase in serum uric acid correlated with worsening hypertension, albuminuria and kidney function. The paper is interesting for several reasons. First, some studies of diabetes mellitus have reported serum uric acid to be lower than what is observed in nondiabetic subjects, and this has been attributed to elevated GFR (hyperfiltration) and poor glycemic control (elevated HbA1c).9,10 Bo et al.11, however, noted that subjects with type 2 diabetes with kidney disease tended to have higher serum uric acid levels. Continue reading >>
Gout And Diabetes
Tweet Gout is a form of arthritis (inflammation of joints) caused by high levels of uric acid. Gout can be a painful condition but one that can be managed to reduce the frequency at which gout attacks occur. Gout is known to affect around 1 in 100 people in the UK and is around four times more common in men than in women. Research shows that people with gout are significantly more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than people without gout. Gout and diabetes A number of research papers have shown associations between gout and type 2 diabetes including a study from Harvard Medical School, published in 2014, which showed gout to be associated with a 70 increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. A common medication for treating gout, allopurinol, has shown promise for reducing thickening of heart muscle and is currently undergoing testing as a possible medication for reducing risk of diabetic nephropathy (kidney disease). Symptoms of gout Gout is characterised by swelling of joints. The base of the big toe is most commonly affected by gout. More than one joint may be affected by gout in some people. Symptoms can come on quickly, with swelling occurring within a few hours. The swollen joint can be very painful and sensitive to touch. During swelling, skin covering the joint may typically turn red and shiny in appearance. The swelling and symptoms may occur for several days if not treated. Once the inflammation has subsided, the skin on the joint may become itchy and flaky. Causes of gout Gout occurs if high levels of uric acid in the blood leads to crystals of sodium urate forming in and around the joints. If these crystals spill into the joint space, this can cause the joint to become inflamed. Risk factors High levels of uric acid are more likely to build if you have an Continue reading >>
Hope For Kidney Health In Gout Drug
PERL study will explore the potential of allopurinol to delay or halt kidney disease in people with type 1 diabetes As we near the end of March, National Kidney Month, we find ourselves at the beginning stages of an exciting new clinical trial that could lead to better health for people with type 1 diabetes (T1D) who suffer from kidney disease. Up to one-third of people with T1D develop kidney abnormalities, and although glucose and blood pressure control has improved in the last two decades, diabetic kidney disease is still an all-too-common serious complication of T1D. As part of its research strategy aimed at preventing and treating T1D complications, JDRF is funding critical research into possible ways to reduce kidney problems for people with the disease. To address the major problem of kidney disease in people with diabetes, Alessandro Doria, M.D., Ph.D., at the Joslin Diabetes Center formed a network of scientists from eight research centers around the world, known as the Preventing Early Renal Function Loss in Diabetes (PERL) Consortium. The PERL Consortium has designed a large clinical trial targeting T1D patients with signs of initial kidney disease, to examine the potential benefit of allopurinol—a nearly 50-year-old drug, currently used to treat gout, that lowers uric acid, high levels of which correlate to progression of kidney disease. JDRF funded an earlier pilot study of allopurinol that has laid the foundation for this larger study, funded by the National Institutes of Health through the Special Diabetes Program, with continued support and involvement from JDRF scientists. Should the PERL study demonstrate allopurinol’s effectiveness in slowing or stopping the loss of kidney function in people with T1D, it could be a major step toward preventing or Continue reading >>
Gout And Natural Treatment Remedies
Gout is a type of arthritis characterized by sudden, intense pain, redness, heat, swelling, and tenderness in the joints. Gout usually affects the large joint of the big toe, but symptoms can occur in your feet, ankles, knees, hands, and wrists. Gout flare-ups usually last about five to 10 days. Gout is caused by the accumulation of uric acid crystals, a waste product that's formed from the breakdown of purines -- substances found in foods such as organ meats, asparagus, anchovies, herring, and mushrooms. During the past 20 years, gout has increased in frequency, affecting 1% to 2% of the Western population. Most of the increase is attributed to poor health (e.g. diabetes, metabolic syndrome, obesity, circulatory issues), a sedentary lifestyle, and dietary factors that include the consumption of excess animal meat and purine-rich vegetables (e.g. beans, peas, lentils). Alternative Treatment and Natural Remedies for Gout The primary treatment strategy for gout is to reduce the uric acid levels. The best natural treatment strategy to reduce these uric acid levels is a nutritional wellness protocol that is plant-based with little to no animal meat that reduces chronic inflammation and insulin resistance. The consumption of alkaline-causing foods (e.g. plant-based foods), dark cherries, organic cherry juice, and organic apple cider vinegar along with consistent exercise physical fitness appear to decrease the risk. In addition, raw juicing and green smoothies can help to further alkalize the body and reduce the amount of uric acid. Other alternative treatment therapies include the following: Eat Tart Cherries: Eating 12 to 20 cherries daily has proven to be a popular and effective home remedy for gout. Another option is to juice or blend the cherries as part of a raw juice Continue reading >>
Does Having Gout Increase My Chances Of Developing Diabetes?
Many of the people who suffer from gout also suffer from diabetes or eventually will. Both diseases have been with us for thousands of years. Having one condition elevates the risk of developing the other. The possibility of a connection was affirmed in the late 18th century but again it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to come to this conclusion. This is obviously due to the fact that gout is linked with obesity, hypertension and little exercise or high blood pressure. Diabetes a disease of high blood sugar is also associated with obesity, hypertension, not enough physical activity and high blood pressure. Gout and diabetes are metabolic disorders and if you have both diseases or either one, strong chances they were inherited from your genetic makeup. But more likely than that, you probably had the same bad eating habits that both or one of your parents had and then went on to develop gout and/or diabetes, by watching your mom or dad, you instilled those bad eating habits and allowed it to happen to you. Furthermore, both diseases are associated with poor blood circulation in the body especially the limbs and insulin resistance in diabetes plays a big part in the potential development of gout. Remember that in some advanced cases of diabetes, gangrene occurs in the foot making amputation necessary. Sadly, both diseases can also kill you and lead you to a poorer quality of life. But it’s the poor circulation, the most likely reason why the risk of gout is relatively high in people with diabetes. Poor blood circulation means you have higher uric acid levels, making the kidneys slow and inefficient in releasing it out to your urine. In addition, your blood is overly acidic and your pH levels are off balance. Evidence of gout and diabetes New studies indicate that you h Continue reading >>
How To Eat When You Have Gout And Diabetes
1 Avoid purine-rich foods. Since uric acid is produced from the metabolism of purine in the body, it is best to avoid foods that contain purine. Urate crystals accumulate in the joints if uric acid is elevated and this can aggravate joint pain in gout. Also, uric acid elevation can increase insulin resistance which is a condition wherein the body do not respond to the function of insulin[1]. This can further elevate the blood sugar levels of a person, leading to diabetic symptoms. Purine-rich foods are mackerel, anchovies, organ meats, dried beans, peas, canned goods, instant noodles, wine and beer. 2 Avoid foods rich in fructose. Foods rich in fructose consume a lot of adenosine triphosphate (or ATP) when metabolized. This ATP is an energy-supplying molecule that the cells in the body use. Over-consumption of ATP leads to its depletion and results in the generation of substances such as lactic acid and uric acid, thereby increasing the levels of uric acid in the blood. Also, fructose is considered a sugar. Consuming foods rich in fructose can elevate the blood sugar of a person and lead to occurrence of symptoms. Foods to avoid are apples, bananas, pears, agave, melons, asparagus, beans, broccoli, cabbage, onion, tomato, peanuts, raisins, figs, carbonated drinks, fruit drinks, ketchup, canned goods, chocolate, pastries and breakfast cereals. 3 Avoid alcohol. Alcohol interferes with the removal of uric acid from the body. When alcohol is converted to lactic acid, it reduces the amount of uric acid that is eliminated from the body through the kidneys. This is because the lactic acid competes with the uric acid in terms of being removed by the kidneys through urine. Increased levels of ethanol (alcohol) in the body increase the body's production of uric acid by increasing Continue reading >>
Gout And Diabetes
There has been considerable question by some as to the possible connection between diabetes and gout. The truth is that there is a connection. Those who have gout are at much higher risks of developing type II diabetes later on in their lives while diabetics often develop gout. The link is believed to be due to the fact that diabetics are well known for having circulation problems. Poor circulation allows the buildup of uric acids, or gout, to occur. These crystals begin to accumulate in certain joints of the body, such as in the ankles and toes. The presence of these hardened crystals in the joints is painful, with the severity increasing as the amount of crystals increase. Although gout can appear at any age, it is much more common in the elderly. Their propensity for limited movement ,decreased water intake and less exercise makes them ideal candidates for the disease. Thankfully, gout is a condition that can be controlled very well with a sensible diet and exercise. Eliminating alcohol is another good measure to take. Other measures include consuming plenty of water, which helps to break down the crystals. Certain foods are also excellent at increasing circulation, which helps to move the crystals through the body to be expelled in urine. Some wise food choices are cayenne and garlic. The good news is that the contraction of diabetes and gout are so closely related, they can both be controlled well with the same treatment options. It is important to notify your doctor as soon as you being to experience symptoms so that you do not have to suffer needlessly. The information provided on battlediabetes.com is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between a patient/site visitor and his/her health professional. This information is solely for infor Continue reading >>
Gout And Diabetes: A Common Combination
Abstract The aims of this cross-sectional study were to compare metabolic parameters in people with gout and diabetes with gout only and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) only. Fifty General Practices in NHS Ayrshire and Arran (population 340 377) contributed data. The sample was split into three groups, those with both gout and T2DM, those with gout only and those with T2DM only. The prevalence of gout in Ayrshire and Arran was 2.65%. The prevalence of gout in people with type 1 and 2 diabetes was 1.90% (p=0.30) and 10.12% (p<10−5), respectively. Patients with both conditions were significantly more likely to be male (p<10−5), older (p<10−5), have a higher mean body mass index (p<0.001), higher triglycerides (p<10−4), lower mean total, high-density lipoprotein- and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (p<10−5), lower estimated glomerular filtration rate (p<0.001), neuropathy (p=0.02), lower haemoglobin (p<0.001), to be prescribed more medications (p<10−5) and less likely to smoke (p<0.01). There was an association between lower haemoglobin A1c and increased prevalence of gout (p<0.001). 42.4% of patients with gout alone and 36.2% of those with both gout and diabetes had a urate measure. This study defines much more clearly the association between gout and T2DM. Of interest, in terms of lifestyle, both better glycaemic control and smoking are associated with a higher prevalence of gout. Continue reading >>
